Joel Perez Leonardo

Introduction

Joel Perez Leonardo is a New York City police officer who was arrested and charged in November 2026 after prosecutors said he offered a woman $60 for a sex act inside his car in the Bronx — then pointed a gun at her when she refused. The alleged encounter unfolded around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, near Tiffany Street and Viele Avenue in Hunts Point, while the 25-year-old officer was off duty. Arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court the next day on charges including menacing, harassment, patronizing a person for prostitution and driving while intoxicated, he was the same week suspended without pay by the NYPD.

Background Information

Leonardo joined the NYPD in April 2025, according to public records cited by News 12 Bronx, and was most recently assigned to the 28th Precinct in Manhattan after previously serving in the Bronx’s 44th Precinct. The arrest was made within the 41st Precinct, whose patrol area covers Hunts Point. The account of the incident comes from a criminal complaint filed in Bronx Criminal Court and statements by prosecutors announcing the charges.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Charged; suspended without pay. Joel Perez Leonardo faces four charges: menacing, harassment, patronizing a person for prostitution, and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence. No plea has been reported, and the allegations are unadjudicated. He was released on supervised release at his arraignment, a full order of protection was issued, both his driver’s license and his gun license are suspended, and the NYPD has suspended him without pay.

According to the complaint, Leonardo requested that a woman perform oral sex on him inside his car in exchange for $60 at around 2:30 a.m. on November 4, at Tiffany Street and Viele Avenue in Hunts Point. When she refused to continue, prosecutors said, he lost his temper, grabbed a gun and pointed it at her, sneering, “Get the f–k out of my car.” The woman told a nearby police officer what had happened, according to the New York Daily News.

Responding officers found Leonardo — off duty — behind the steering wheel of his black 2019 Mazda CX-5, with the engine running and the headlights illuminated. His eyes were bloodshot and watery and his face was pale, the complaint said. He refused a breathalyzer test, and prosecutors said he admitted, “I was at the bar. I had a few drinks,” according to the complaint; News 12 reported his refusal to complete DWI tests at the scene was among the case’s evidence.

He was arrested and charged with menacing, driving while intoxicated, patronizing a person for prostitution and harassment. At his arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court on Thursday, November 5, Leonardo was granted supervised release and a full order of protection was issued, and the Bronx District Attorney’s office said his driver’s license and gun license were both suspended. News 12 reported he was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on January 7.

Leonardo, who was assigned to Harlem’s 28th Precinct, was also suspended without pay from the NYPD, the department confirmed.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The suspension without pay was confirmed by the department the same week as the arrest, and the District Attorney’s office publicized the suspension of both licenses. The charge list and the alleged gun-pointing exchange circulated across New York media, with the Daily News, News 12 Bronx and wire syndication carrying the prosecutors’ account in full. No public statement from Leonardo or an attorney for him has been reported; his reported words on the night are the statements attributed to him in the criminal complaint. The woman prosecutors say was threatened has not been named, and no statement from her has been reported.

Current Status

As of November 6, 2026, the case is pending in Bronx Criminal Court. Leonardo has been charged but not tried; no plea has been reported and the allegations are unadjudicated. He is on supervised release with a full order of protection in place, his driver’s and gun licenses are suspended, and he remains suspended without pay from the NYPD, with his next court appearance scheduled for January 7, 2027. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Impact on Their Career/Life

A police officer roughly 18 months into an NYPD career that began in April 2025, Leonardo went from patrolling Harlem’s 28th Precinct to suspended without pay, facing four criminal charges — including allegations that he pulled a gun on a woman who refused a sex act he offered to pay for. The suspension of his gun license strips him of an authorization the job depends on, and a conviction on any of the charges would likely end a law-enforcement career that, as of the charges, was less than two years old.

Sources

• New York Post, “NYPD officer busted for solicting woman for sex, pointing gun at her inside car when she refused: DA,” November 6, 2026. source
• News 12 Bronx, “Off-duty NYPD officer allegedly offered woman cash for sex act, threatened her with gun when she refused,” November 5, 2026. source
• New York Daily News, “NYPD officer arrested in Bronx for pulling gun on woman who refused to have sex with him,” November 6, 2026. source
• New York Post (@nypost), “NYPD officer solicited woman for sex in car - then pointed gun at her when she refused: DA,” November 6, 2026. source