14 MA Police Officers Accused Of Beating, Coverup Near Bar

SPRINGFIELD, MA — Fourteen Springfield police officers were charged Wednesday in connection with the beating of four people outside a city bar and subsequent coverup, prosecutors said. The assault happened outside Nathan Bill’s Bar & Restaurant on April 8, 2015, according to state Attorney General Maura Healey. After an argument at the bar, six of the officers and the bar's owner assaulted the four victims outside the establishment, Healey said.

Some of the victims were left with "permanent" injuries, Healey said in a statement. After the attack, a group of officers engaged in a "long-standing" coverup, Healey claimed. One of the officers charged in the coverup is a former Springfield police officer.

"The victims had already left the bar when the defendants allegedly located them down the street and assaulted them," Healey said in a statement. "The victims were allegedly beaten and kicked, and sustained significant injuries as a result of the assault, some permanent. The AG’s Office and the FBI collected statements from victims and witnesses, phone records, and video evidence that led to the identification of the defendants and these charges."

A grand jury on Wednesday returned indictments against the 14 officers, bar owner John Sullivan and bar manager Joseph Sullivan (no relation to John).

The following individuals were charged with multiple counts of assault and conspiracy:

• Springfield police Officer Daniel Billingsley, age 30, of Springfield
• Springfield police Officer Anthony Cicero, 29, of Hampden
• Springfield police Officer Christian Cicero, 28, of Longmeadow
• Springfield police Officer Igor Basovskiy, 34, of Springfield
• Springfield police Officer Jameson Williams, 33, of East Longmeadow
• Springfield police Officer Jose Diaz, 54, of Springfield
• Bar owner John Sullivan, 34, of Springfield

The seven men were charged with assault by foot (four counts), assault and battery (three counts), assault and battery causing serious injury and conspiracy.

The following individuals were charged with covering up the attack:

• Diaz (mentioned above), charged with misleading an investigator
• Sullivan (mentioned above), charged with misleading an investigator
• Bar manager Joseph Sullivan, 42, of Hampden, charged with perjury and misleading an investigator
• Springfield police Officer Darren Nguyen, 40, of Holland, charged with perjury, misleading an investigator and filing a false police report
• Springfield police Officer Shavonne Lewis, 29, of Springfield, charged with perjury, misleading an investigator and filing a false police report
• Springfield police Sergeant Louis Bortolussi, 57, of East Longmeadow, charged with charged with perjury, misleading an investigator and filing a false police report
• Springfield police Officer Derrick Gentry-Mitchell, 29, of Springfield, charged with perjury, misleading an investigator and filing a false police report
• Springfield police Officer James D’Amour, 42, of Hampden, charged with perjury, misleading an investigator and filing a false police report
• Springfield police Officer John Wajdula, 34, of Springfield, charged with perjury, misleading an investigator and filing a false police report
• Former Springfield police Officer Nathaniel Perez, 27, of West Springfield, charged with perjury, misleading an investigator and filing a false police report
• Springfield police Officer Melissa Rodriguez, 32, of Springfield, charged with perjury

Healey accused the 11 individuals of taking part in a "long-standing and ongoing cover up of the assault."

This story will be updated.