6 Montco Correctional Officers Charged With Assaulting Prisoners

Investigators claim the officers beat one man who wore a prosthetic leg and who "did not fight back."

Clockwise from top left: Darrin Collins, Alfred Gregory, Jr., Jason Marshall, Edwin Negron, Anthony Saxby and Randall Sims. (Photos via the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office)

Six correctional officers at a Montgomery County jail have been charged in two alleged assaults that investigators say took place in February.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said an investigation by the Detective Bureau’s Major Crimes Unit found that the six officers assaulted two inmates – Derrick Houlihan, who wears a prosthetic leg, and Matthew Ruffings – on the morning of February 14th at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. 

According to court documents, officers first assaulted Houlihan in his jail cell. Then, after Houlihan allegedly received medical treatment, he was purportedly assaulted by officers a second time in one of the prison’s common areas, according to attorneys. Video footage from the incident shows that Houlihan “did not fight back,” investigators allege. Three of the officers were purportedly wearing body cameras at the time of the alleged incident, but investigators say the officers either did not activate the cameras or “took actions to destroy the video that was captured.”

Former captain Edwin Negron, former lieutenant Darin CollinsAlfred Gregory, Jr.Anthony SaxbyRandall Sims, and Jason Marshall have all been charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, hindering apprehension or prosecution, official oppression and obstructing administration of law or other governmental function.

In total, seven officers were placed on administrative leave and then fired, including one other officer who was investigated for his possible involvement but not charged.

Bail is set at $50,000 for each defendant.

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