A Middlesex County grand jury has indicted a corrections officer at the Billerica House of Correction on charges that he assaulted an inmate during a struggle at a cell door and then lied about it in his official report. Officer Alexander Tine now faces two counts of assault and battery and one count of filing a false report, with his arraignment set for September 30 at Middlesex Superior Court.
According to NBC Boston, the incident began on June 29 when Tine approached an inmate at a cell handcuff port — the small opening on a cell door used to handcuff a prisoner before the door is opened. The inmate put his feet and arm through the port, and Tine shoved the inmate's foot back through it. When the inmate then placed his hands in the port, Tine allegedly tried to close the door while the inmate's arm was still inside, striking the door repeatedly with his knee until the inmate moved his arm and the door shut.
Tine's written account claimed the inmate had been grabbing, hitting and spitting at him during the encounter. Prosecutors said the account was not supported by evidence gathered in the case, according to the outlet. The Middlesex County grand jury handed up the indictment, according to Daily Voice. Prosecutors and law enforcement have not publicly disclosed the exact nature or severity of any physical injuries the inmate suffered, the outlet notes.
What Tine Is Facing in Court
The Middlesex District Attorney's Office said Tine faces charges tied to the incident, and the case now heads to arraignment at Middlesex Superior Court. Under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 265, Section 13A, simple assault and battery carries a statutory maximum of up to two and a half years in a house of correction and a fine of up to $1,000, according to the same Daily Voice report.
Separately, Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission rules require law enforcement agencies to report credible allegations of officer misconduct, excessive force, and false reports to state regulators within two business days, according to state guidance cited by the same report.
The case centers on the Billerica House of Correction.
Not an Isolated Case in Massachusetts
Tine's indictment follows a similar case in Hoodline's earlier Barnstable report, in which corrections officer Gregory Djaoen was arrested and charged with multiple counts of inmate assault and battery in June 2024 after security video supported the allegations. The case involved allegations against a county corrections officer accused of abusing someone in custody.
It remains unclear whether the Middlesex Sheriff's Office has placed Tine on leave or begun termination proceedings, and whether the POST Commission has opened decertification proceedings against him. Tine's arraignment at Middlesex Superior Court is scheduled for Wednesday.
