An off-duty NYPD officer allegedly pulled a gun on a woman who turned down his $60 proposition, then told the cop she found ‘I had a few drinks’

An off-duty New York City police officer has been arrested and suspended without pay after allegedly offering a woman $60 for oral sex and pulling a gun on her when she refused. Joel Perez Leonardo, 25, is facing several charges over the incident, which took place in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx early Wednesday, Nov. 4.

The encounter allegedly happened around 2:30 AM near Tiffany Street and Viele Avenue. According to the Daily News, prosecutors say Leonardo and the woman were sitting in his 2019 Mazda CX-5 when he offered her $60 for oral sex.

She turned him down, and that’s when the encounter allegedly took a threatening turn. Prosecutors say Leonardo grabbed a gun, pointed it at the woman, and yelled at her to get out of his car.

The woman reported the alleged threat to police

The woman told a nearby police officer what happened. When the officer approached Leonardo, he had bloodshot, watery eyes and a pale face, according to the criminal complaint, and he allegedly told the officer, “I was at the bar. I had a few drinks.” He then refused to take a breathalyzer test.

According to News 12 The Bronx, prosecutors say Leonardo’s driver’s license was suspended because he refused to complete DWI tests at the scene. A New York woman said her license was suspended after a migraine forced her to pull over, despite a zero blood alcohol reading. Prosecutors allege Leonardo was intoxicated, but he has not been convicted of any charge.

Leonardo faces several charges in Bronx court

Leonardo was arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court on Thursday on charges of menacing, harassment, patronizing a person for prostitution, and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was released on his own recognizance, and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office issued an order of protection barring him from contacting the woman and suspending his license to possess a firearm.

He joined the NYPD in April 2025 and was previously assigned to the 44th Precinct in the Bronx before moving to the 28th Precinct in Central Harlem. The NYPD confirmed he has been suspended without pay. Leonardo is due back in court on Jan. 7, 2027.