Two Former NYPD Officers Charged in Federal Civil Rights Case After Alleged Abuse of Authority During Prostitution Investigation

Two former New York City Police Department officers are facing federal civil rights charges after prosecutors say they abused their authority during an on-duty response to a prostitution complaint in Queens, turning off their body cameras, stealing access to a building, and later returning to commit additional crimes against a woman inside.

Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York announced that Justin McMillan, 26, of Atlantic Beach, Long Island, and Justin Colon, 24, of Long Island City, Queens, were arrested following the unsealing of a three-count federal indictment charging them with conspiracy against rights and willfully depriving an individual of her constitutional rights while acting under color of law.

The charges stem from an incident that allegedly occurred while both men were assigned to patrol duty within the NYPD’s 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights, Queens, in July 2024.

According to court filings, the incident began on July 19, 2024, when McMillan and Colon responded to a non-emergency 311 complaint reporting suspected prostitution activity inside a residential building located near 89th Street and Roosevelt Avenue.

When the officers arrived at the location, investigators allege they intentionally disabled their department-issued body-worn cameras before approaching the building.

Body cameras are designed to document interactions between police officers and members of the public, and departmental policy typically requires that they remain activated during law enforcement encounters. Prosecutors allege that shutting the cameras off allowed the officers to conceal their actions.

Authorities say the officers encountered a woman leaving the building and took a key to the entrance door from her. The officers allegedly kept the key and failed to report the interaction or the evidence they had taken during the call.

After leaving the location, the officers continued with their patrol duties without documenting the encounter.

Prosecutors allege the situation escalated hours later.

At approximately 4:50 a.m. on July 20, 2024, roughly eight hours after the initial response, the officers allegedly returned to the same building using the stolen key to unlock the entrance.

Once inside, they encountered a woman engaged in sexual activity with a client. According to the indictment, the client fled the scene when the officers entered the room, leaving the woman alone with the officers inside the building.

Investigators say the woman was naked and in a vulnerable position when the officers confronted her.

Federal prosecutors allege that while Colon remained nearby acting as a lookout, McMillan searched the woman’s purse and stole money from it. The indictment further alleges that McMillan groped the woman, touching her bare breast and buttocks without consent.

The woman reportedly fled the location following the encounter. The officers then returned to their patrol duties and eventually returned to their stationhouse as if the incident had not occurred.

The alleged actions were later uncovered during an investigation involving federal authorities and the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau.

Federal prosecutors charged both men under statutes that address violations of civil rights committed by government officials acting under color of law. Such charges are used in cases where law enforcement officers are accused of abusing their official authority to deprive individuals of constitutional protections.

Civil rights violations involving law enforcement officers are investigated with particular scrutiny because officers are granted significant authority and power in the course of their duties. Federal law makes it a crime for officers to misuse that authority in ways that violate constitutional rights.

McMillan and Colon both resigned from the NYPD in March 2025 prior to the filing of the federal charges.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of up to ten years in federal prison.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Reid of the Eastern District of New York’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the New York City Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau. Authorities also acknowledged support from the Queens District Attorney’s Office during the investigation.

Federal officials emphasized that the charges represent allegations and that both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in federal court.

The case will now proceed through the federal court system in Brooklyn, where the defendants were scheduled to appear for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg following their arrests.

The indictment represents another example of federal authorities pursuing criminal charges when law enforcement officers are accused of violating the civil rights of individuals while performing their official duties.

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