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THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – A former New York City correction officer is facing consequences after attempting to set up an inmate by leaving a weapon in his jail cell. Officials say this has resulted in a sentence of 90 days in jail for the officer involved.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Straube made the announcement on Friday about the case.
The officer, Dionisio Rosario, who is 35 years old, was found guilty after a trial that lasted two weeks. He was charged with tampering with evidence, falsifying business records, and placing a sharpened piece of plexiglass inside the cell of an inmate.
Back in April 2023, as part of an operation to find contraband, Rosario and his team entered the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island.
When Rosario approached the inmate’s cell, the inmate requested that the search be conducted after sunset to respect Ramadan. Instead, Rosario responded by ordering the inmate to drop the Qur’an he was holding, before using a chemical spray against him. A physical altercation ensued but was quickly completed.
After the fight was under control, Rosario went back into the inmate’s cell and placed a 4.5-inch piece of sharpened plexiglass near the sink. This act was caught on video surveillance, including footage from Rosario’s own body camera.
After planting the weapon, Rosario searched around the cell and then later asserted that he had ‘discovered’ the item next to the sink, though he also claimed it was found in the inmate’s hand.
Authorities noted that after these events, Rosario submitted false statements across four different reports to the Department of Correction.
“City Correction Officers play an essential role in maintaining safety within our correctional facilities, and nearly all fulfill their duties with integrity. This officer betrayed the trust of his colleagues, the inmates in custody, and the public when he placed a makeshift weapon in an inmate’s cell,” stated Commissioner Strauber.
Judge Timothy Lewis delivered the sentencing to Rosario—90 days time served for each count, alongside a one-year conditional release due to official misconduct. As a result, Rosario no longer serves as a correction officer.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist originally from El Paso, Texas. He has been covering local news and LGBTQIA issues in the NYC Metro area since 2021. In 2023, he joined the PIX11 Digital team. You can catch more of his reporting here.
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