A New York City police officer has been arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including rape and sexual abuse against a child. Joshua Acosta, a 39-year-old officer, was taken into custody on Wednesday night while off duty within the 61st Precinct in Brooklyn.
The alleged abuse is said to have occurred between September 2021 and June 2026, with the victim being younger than 13 and 17 years old during that time. An 11-count criminal complaint details numerous sex acts allegedly committed by Acosta. His defense attorneys have denied the allegations, stating that they are "demonstrably false."
Acosta has previously admitted to violating department rules, including engaging in a high-speed chase without activating his body camera in 2019. The incident led to him losing 15 vacation days as punishment. Two other civilian complaints against Acosta were filed with the Civilian Complaint Review Board, with one case resulting in Schedule B command discipline.
Documents show that Acosta was involved in multiple incidents while on patrol, including a pursuit that reached speeds of 56 mph without consideration for the time of day, location, or population density. His defense attorneys have argued that these allegations of misconduct as a police officer are irrelevant to his current case.
The Brooklyn DA's office has declined to comment beyond what is contained in the disclosure documents. The NYPD has not responded to requests for comment.
