By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A veteran Rikers Island correction officer was arrested in Inwood for trying to trade the early release of a drug offender for a massive amount of cocaine, prosecutors said Wednesday.
The officer, Robert Whitfield, allegedly offered an unnamed convicted narcotics offender an early release from jail in exchange for 3 kilos of cocaine. A meeting was set up for the exchange at Broadway and Dyckman in Upper Manhattan. Prosecutors said they recorded the telephone conversation between the suspect and an undercover DEA agent posing as a drug dealer.
Whitfield allegedly sent his intermediary, Islime Duvivier, to meet with a person he believed was a drug dealer to make the drug pickup on Tuesday.
The "drug dealer" was an undercover agent and Duvivier was arrested on the spot. Whitfield, who was waiting in his car two blocks away, was arrested shortly afterward.
Whitfield and Duvivier, both 48, were charged with first-degree weapons possession and conspiracy. Whitfield faces additional charges for bribery and official misconduct.
"[Whitfield's] plan would have released 3 kilos of a dangerous drug and a jailed felon onto the streets of New York City," Special Narcotics Prosecutors Bridget Brennan said in a statement. Her office is handling the case.
On Wednesday night, Whitifled, of Queens, was ordered held on $75,000 bail at his Manhattan Criminal Court arraignment. Duvivier, also from Queens, was awaiting his first appearance before a judge.
