James Leslie Corn Jr., a three-year police veteran, was arrested yesterday after he received the money from one of the undercover officers, according to a federal affidavit attached to the criminal complaint.

Corn also admitted after his arrest he has been addicted to cocaine and sold small quantities of the drug last year, the affidavit said.

The federal complaint charges Corn with ice distribution.

Corn is in federal custody awaiting his first federal court appearance this afternoon in the case.

The affidavit by a Drug Enforcement Administration agent said an undercover officer called Corn yesterday and asked for assistance. The undercover officer said he wanted Corn's help for "protection" in a two-pound ice deal, the document said.

The officer showed the "ice" that was in a black backpack and explained he would signal Corn when the officer saw the money, the affidavit said. Corn would then give the "ice" to the customer, the affidavit said.

The two later entered an unnamed restaurant with Corn carrying the backpack, the document said.

The undercover office met at a separate table with a second undercover officer who had a bag of money, the affidavit said.

When the first officer gave signal, Corn bought over the backpack and placed it on the table, according to the document.

About 20 minutes later in the parking lot, the first undercover officer gave Corn $1,000 for his service, the affidavit said. Corn told the officer to call him anytime he needed the help, the document said.

Corn was arrested.

The affidavit said Corn agreed to cooperate. He also admitted supplying protection, but denied seeing the "ice," the affidavit said.

Corn, however, said he was "suspicious that there was dope involved," the document said.

Police spokeswoman Michelle Yu said department suspended the officer's police powers last year as part of a separate investigation.

Yu said the arrest resulted from a joint operation by HPD, DEA and the Hawai'i High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, which is a partnership of federal, state and county law enforcement agencies.

In a brief statement yesterday, Police Chief Boisse Correa said he was "very disappointed" with the officer's arrest.

"But we will continue to work hard to do whatever is necessary to maintain the department's integrity and the public's confidence," Correa said.

Yesterday's arrest was the latest in a string of legal problems involving Honolulu police officers in the past year.

Earlier this year, federal agents searched the homes of six officers as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that the officers helped to set up and protect illegal cockfights in exchange for items of value. No charges have been filed in this investigation.