Man arraigned in connection with allegedly smuggling controlled substances into the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction

The following is a joint release from the Middlesex Sheriff's Office and Middlesex District Attorney's Office.

BILLERICA – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian have announced that Francisco Morales-Urizandi, 32, of Tewksbury, was arraigned today in Lowell District Court in connection with allegedly conspiring to violate the Controlled Substances Act and delivering drugs to prisoners in the Middlesex Jail and House of Correction.

Between April and August of 2020, while Morales-Urizandi was working as a Correction Officer at the Middlesex Jail and House of Correction, he allegedly conspired with two detainees and associates outside of the facility to acquire and prepare certain controlled substances, including Suboxone, Marijuana, K2, and cigarettes for distribution inside the facility. Morales-Urizandi also allegedly collected the controlled substances from outside associates and covertly transported them into the facility for distribution.

The alleged conspiracy was uncovered during an internal investigation conducted by the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Internal Investigations Unit (IIU). The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the district attorney’s office assisted with the investigation.

At today’s arraignment bail was set at $1,000. The defendant was also ordered to stay away from and have no contact with the witnesses and co-conspirators in the case and to be on a GPS monitoring device.

These charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office has placed Morales-Urizandi on suspension without pay.

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