A former New York City Department of Correction officer was sentenced to 90 days in jail after being convicted of placing a makeshift weapon in an inmate's cell at Rikers Island. The Bronx District Attorney’s Office reported that 35-year-old Dionisio Rosario was found guilty of Tampering with Physical Evidence and Falsifying Business Records.
During a contraband search in April 2023, Rosario, a member of the Department's Emergency Services Unit, was recorded on his body-worn camera placing a sharpened piece of plexiglass in a detainee’s cell. The detainee, who was observing Ramadan, requested to be searched after sundown. Following this, Rosario was seen yelling at the inmate to put down a Qur’an, deploying a chemical agent, and engaging in a physical altercation. He was later recorded placing and then recovering the weapon in the cell.
In an official statement obtained by the Bronx District Attorney's Office, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said, "The former Correction Officer’s action was so egregious as many of his colleagues have been victims of slashings in the jails," but also added that "a 90-day sentence falls short of sending the message that corruption that imperils staff and inmates is intolerable." NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber emphasized the responsibility of correction officers to maintain the safety and security of the jail system and criticized Rosario for failing his colleagues and the public trust. Strauber stated that the Department of Investigation will continue to investigate and prosecute officers who breach their legal and ethical obligations.
The sentencing took place before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Timothy Lewis, who imposed concurrent 90-day jail terms for each felony and a one-year conditional discharge for Official Misconduct. The sentence was below the 1⅓ to 4 years in prison recommended by the prosecution, following a two-week trial that resulted in Rosario’s conviction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jonathon Sizemore and Major Case Assistant District Attorney Jared Rosen, with support from members of the Public Integrity Bureau and the Investigations Division.
Planting evidence within the corrections system carries serious consequences, as it can lead to unjust penalties for inmates and undermine trust essential to maintaining order and safety in correctional facilities. Alongside his jail term, Rosario will serve a one-year conditional discharge.
