Fishkill Corrections Officer Accused Of Selling Cocaine From Home

FISHKILL, NY — A corrections officer at the Fishkill Correctional Facility was accused of selling cocaine out of his apartment.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. announced recently the indictment of Alex Toro, 47, a Department of Corrections and Community Supervision corrections officer.

He was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, all felonies.

Bragg thanks the New York Police Department for helping to expose the activity.

"Corrections officers are expected to uphold the law," he said, "and Mr. Toro's alleged actions undermine faith in the criminal justice system."

Prosecutors said, from Aug. 2 to Sept. 7, Toro arranged four separate purchases of cocaine with an undercover NYPD officer.

When he had to work at the Fishkill Correctional Facility, he would arrange the sales over phone calls and text messages, police said, and then have his sister complete the transactions at his East 116th St. apartment in New York City.

Toro was present on one occasion to complete the exchange himself, prosecutors said.

In total, he sold 250 grams of cocaine for a total value of $9,500, according to authorities.

In conversation with the undercover detective, Toro claimed he owned an assault rifle and talked about acquiring a handgun to sell to the undercover detective.

Bragg's office said a search warrant conducted at Toro's residence yielded more than 1,000 grams of cocaine with a street value of more than $40,000. A loaded .40 caliber firearm and ammunition was also recovered, along with nearly $8,000 in cash.