An NYPD officer has been terminated from the force following a departmental trial that found him guilty of assaulting his girlfriend’s aunt and attempting to leverage an immigration matter to discourage her cooperation with authorities. Officer Harry Espinal was fired by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch on January 23, roughly three months after the conclusion of the internal proceedings held at One Police Plaza.

The incident took place off duty at a private residence in Queens, where Espinal had gone to pick up his girlfriend during a birthday gathering. According to the NYPD summary of the case, tension arose after Espinal’s girlfriend failed to answer his calls, prompting an argument. The aunt alleged that Espinal, known for displaying jealousy and monitoring his girlfriend’s phone, made a derogatory remark before physically assaulting her. The report states Espinal struck the woman multiple times in the face, chest, arms, and legs, and forcibly knocked the phone from her hand as she attempted to call 911. The victim sustained bruising and contacted police shortly after the officer left the premises, resulting in Espinal’s arrest and an order of protection issued against him.

The summary further details that Espinal violated the order by sending texts to his girlfriend’s mother, asking her to persuade the aunt to drop the assault charges. The officer’s messages allegedly implied that his ongoing sponsorship of the girlfriend’s brother's residency application depended on the aunt’s decision to cease legal action.

During the departmental trial, Espinal denied the assault claims, stating that both his girlfriend and her aunt appeared intoxicated. He testified he only placed his palm on the aunt’s chest to move her away and unintentionally dislodged her phone. Although he acknowledged sending the texts, he asserted he did not intend to link his immigration assistance to the withdrawal of charges.

Espinal joined the NYPD in July 2015 and was assigned to the 88th Precinct in Fort Greene at the time. His attorney, Peter Brill, argued the incident should not be classified as domestic violence since Espinal did not live with the aunt. Brill also criticized the reliance on the aunt’s prior statements without her testimony at the trial, contending that the inability to cross-examine the complainant should have resulted in giving greater weight to Espinal’s account.

The NYPD administrative judge, Vanessa Facio-Lince, disagreed with the defense and found Espinal guilty, recommending his dismissal. Meanwhile, the criminal case against the officer was ultimately dismissed. Espinal has not publicly commented on the matter.