Prisoner dies while in Massachusetts State Police custody

A prisoner in Massachusetts State Police custody died today after being found unresponsive in his cell.

According to Dave Procopio of the Massachusetts State Police, the man, a 49-year-old resident of Fremont, NH, had been arrested early this morning after being stopped by a Trooper on Route 99 in Saugus at approximately 2:30 a.m. and was transported to the Danvers Barracks. The man was charged with operating under the influence of drugs, possession of a Class B narcotic, and speeding.

Once booked at the barracks and placed into a cell, Troopers performed face-to-face checks on his condition every 30 minutes, as is standard for all prisoners per MSP policy.

During the regular check conducted at approximately 11:30 a.m., the man was found to be unresponsive. Troopers immediately called for Danvers Fire and EMS to respond and began performing emergency first aid. The prisoner was determined to be deceased at the barracks and was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The death is under investigation by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, which has jurisdiction over all death investigations in the county. MSP will also conduct an administrative review of the incident.