NYPD Officer Faces Rape Charges After Years of Department Violations

Clear Facts

• NYPD Officer Joshua Acosta, 39, was arrested and charged with rape and sexual acts against a child, with alleged abuse spanning from September 2021 to June 2026
• Acosta previously admitted to department violations including a dangerous high-speed chase reaching 56 mph and failing to activate his body camera during enforcement actions
• The officer’s defense attorneys maintain the allegations are “demonstrably false” and expect to clear his name once all facts emerge

A veteran New York City police officer now facing serious criminal charges had a documented history of violating department protocols years before his arrest on child sex abuse allegations.

Joshua Acosta, 39, was taken into custody Wednesday evening while off duty at Brooklyn’s 61st Precinct. The arrest came after an investigation into alleged sexual abuse of a minor that prosecutors say occurred over nearly five years.

An 11-count criminal complaint alleges Acosta committed numerous sex acts against a girl when she was younger than 13 and younger than 17 years old. The alleged abuse lasted from September 2021 until June 2026, according to court documents.

“While the allegations against him are undoubtedly serious, they are demonstrably false,” defense attorneys Jason Goldman and David Gelfand said in a statement.

“While it is deeply unfortunate that Officer Acosta has had his reputation smeared, we look forward to clearing his name through the proper channels once all the facts come to light.”

Documents from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office reveal Acosta was the subject of multiple civilian complaints dating back years before his arrest. The officer admitted fault over an incident that occurred while on patrol in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.

On January 4, 2019, Acosta initiated a pursuit of a suspect and reached speeds of 56 mph “without taking into consideration the nature of the offense, time of day, location, population density and police necessity,” according to official documents.

Acosta allegedly failed to activate his bodycam during the chase or during the ensuing traffic stop. The case was closed on July 30, 2020, with Acosta’s punishment being the forfeiture of 15 vacation days.

Two additional complaints against Acosta were filed with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the city agency responsible for investigating and prosecuting misconduct by NYPD officers. The CCRB substantiated allegations made about an incident that occurred on September 26, 2019, involving abuse including a verbal or physical threat of force, entry of premises and a frisk.

In another case, Acosta entered a residence after an armed robbery suspect was already handcuffed and searched through “several drawers and rooms” without authorization on June 19, 2019. He allegedly told investigators he did not receive orders to conduct the search and had only done so to locate possible guns.

An inspector with the Police Commissioner’s Office later sent a letter acknowledging the unauthorized search but noted Acosta “did not receive any guidance from available supervisors at the scene and clearly engaged in his actions in good faith.” The officer was ordered to receive training on how to conduct lawful searches of private property.

Defense attorney David Gelfand dismissed the relevance of the prior misconduct allegations to the current criminal case.

“Law enforcement has one of the most difficult jobs in our society. They are routinely criticized and vilified, with every step they take under a microscope. The fact that Officer Acosta has been the subject of 3 [to] 4 such accusations over the course of 14 years is neither relevant nor noteworthy. We look forward to fighting his case on the merits and clearing his name of the baseless accusations lodged against him,” Gelfand said.

The Brooklyn DA’s office declined to comment beyond what is contained in the disclosure documents. The NYPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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