Billerica, Massachusetts – A corrections officer at the Middlesex Jail and House of Correction was seriously injured in an unprovoked attack by inmate Patrick D. Litchfield on April 26. The officer has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home, while Litchfield faces multiple charges for this incident, as well as previous offenses at the jail.
Sheriff Peter Koutoujian emphasized the dangers of the job for corrections officers, stating how quickly a routine interaction can turn into a violent attack. The Sheriff’s Office has been providing support to the injured officer and his family. Litchfield has been transferred to the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction pending his charges.
New charges against Litchfield include assault and battery on a correctional employee, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and intimidating a witness, among others. The Sheriff’s Office has not yet announced a date for Litchfield’s arraignment.
Documents from Lowell District Court detail Litchfield’s history of violent behavior at the Middlesex Jail and House of Correction, including assaults on inmates and staff, as well as a fire he started in his cell. These incidents have resulted in criminal charges against him.
Litchfield’s criminal history extends beyond the state of Massachusetts, with previous arrests for weapons charges in Burlington and a serious incident in Maine in 2015 where he rammed a rental car into a motorcycle, injuring the rider. Litchfield has a documented history of mental illness and has been deemed not competent to stand trial in the past.
The Sheriff’s Office has not released the name of the injured corrections officer or details of the injuries sustained in the recent attack. The case continues to unfold as Litchfield faces the legal consequences of his actions.