A 35-year-old corrections officer at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, a maximum-security facility in Shirley, is accused of punching an 86-year-old inmate three times earlier this month.

Court records obtained by MassLive show Joseph Sampson of Westminster was arraigned on Dec. 21 on a charge of assault and battery with serious bodily injury on a person over the age of 60 in Clinton District Court.

A Massachusetts State Police arrest report on file in court said troopers were called to the prison on Dec. 20 around 4:45 p.m. for a report of an assault.

Troopers watched a surveillance video showing Sampson “throwing punches in the direction of the victim” three times, according to the report.

The alleged victim, who is listed as Paul Smith, had several lacerations to his face, Trooper Juan Sandoval wrote in his report.

Massachusetts Department of Corrections records show Smith was incarcerated in the Shirley facility, but do not show for what charge.

Sampson, according to the trooper, wrote a report stating he struck the victim. Troopers also interviewed witnesses.

Sampson was arrested and brought back to the Leominster barracks where he was booked. He posted bail that night.

Booking photo of Joseph Sampson as seen in court records

Court records show Sampson was arraigned the following day and released after he posted $500 cash bail. He will return to court on Jan. 24.

Sampson’s defense lawyer, Kenneth Anderson, told MassLive the inmate was aggressive toward the corrections officer.

"He’s a well-regarded corrections officer and it is my understanding that this inmate tried to bite him and spit at him,” Anderson said. “My client was acting pursuant to his training and is shocked by the fact that he has been arrested and criminally charged.”

Judge Robert Pellegrini ordered Sampson to stay away from the alleged victim. The prosecutor requested Sampson surrender any firearms, but the request was denied by the judge, court records show.

The judge directed the prosecutor to notify the Westminster police chief about the charge in court.

“The Department of Correction is aware of an incident between a correction officer and an inmate that occurred at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center on December 20th,” the Massachusetts Department of Correction said in a statement. “This incident was referred to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office and is currently under investigation. The correction officer has been separated from service.”

The prison housed some notable convicted criminals in Massachusetts, including a defrocked Catholic priest and Jared Remy, the son of Boston Red Sox commentator Jerry Remy.

Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, the only state prison to house just maximum security inmates, was the facility where former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez killed himself in April 2017.

There have been riots and attacks on corrections officers at the facility in the past.

Prisoners inside the facility used makeshift weapons to destroy a housing unit in 2017.

Earlier this year, six inmates at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center were indicted on assault charges stemming from a fight inside the facility in August.

Six corrections officers were injured in the fight. The six indicted inmates allegedly started a fight with three corrections officers before more guards came to help.