Prisoner Who Escaped East River Jail Barge Recaptured
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) --A man who escaped prison in the Bronx could soon face more charges.
Police now have the 30-year-old inmate, accused of impersonating an officer last year, back in custody.
The first question that came to Manny Gomez's mind when he heard about the inmate who escaped was, "What happened?"
"This is New York City, USA. We have protocols in place to avoid things like this," Gomez told CBS2's Cory James.
The retired NYPD sergeant and FBI agent says he learned from law enforcement colleagues that someone made calls checking in on the inmate before he was discovered missing.
"The guard allegedly said that he was in his cell," Gomez said. "The second one was made on or about 4:30 in the morning when it was confirmed he had left ... Supposedly there was a car waiting for him ... It makes you wonder, was there somebody on the inside that helped him get out?"
According to officials, 30-year-old David Mordukhaev was in custody at the Vernon C. Bain Center for impersonating a cop and robbing someone in August 2020.
Authorities say Saturday morning, he broke his cell window and used bed sheets to escape the five-story jail barge before jumping into the water.
Police say he was caught several hours later near his home.
CBS2 reached out to Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr., who has been vocal about closing the barge. He was not available for an interview but said over the phone this is another reason why inmates should be taken off the boat and moved to the correctional facility on Riker's Island that he believes is more secure.
Meanwhile, the Department of Corrections released a statement that says in part, "This incident remains under investigation and we will be thoroughly addressing any and all deficiencies that led to this event."
CBS2's questions about the alleged phone calls and disciplinary action taken against guards or officers were not answered.
CBS2 also reached out to the Correction Officer's Benevolent Association, but so far, we have not heard back.
