An officer with the New York Police Department, Joshua Acosta, 39, was arrested Wednesday night on charges including rape and sexual misconduct. According to authorities and law enforcement sources, Acosta is accused of raping a young relative in Brooklyn over a period of approximately five years, with the alleged incidents beginning in 2021 and continuing until last month.
The victim was a minor at the time of the alleged offenses, though the exact age has not been specified. Acosta faces three counts each of rape and sexual misconduct, two counts of course of sexual conduct against a child, and one count of acting in a manner injurious to a child. He was arrested in south Brooklyn.
Acosta, who joined the NYPD in 2014 and is assigned to a unit that handles cases involving officers facing lawsuits, has been suspended without pay. The investigation was initially conducted by the department’s Internal Affairs Bureau and subsequently referred to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office. Acosta’s arraignment was pending as of Thursday afternoon.
Attorneys for Acosta, Jason Goldman and David Gelfand, issued a statement proclaiming his innocence. They stated that they are in possession of evidence supporting his innocence and that the allegations are "demonstrably false." The statement added that they look forward to clearing Acosta’s name expeditiously.