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3d ago

NYPD Officer Charged in Queens and Brooklyn for Sexting Undercover Cop Posing as Teen

Travis DeSouza, suspended without pay, is accused of explicit communications with an undercover officer he believed to be a 14-year-old in a youth outreach program.

Travis DeSousza is facing new charges for allegedly sending explicit pictures to what he thought was a teen girl.
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Overview

  • Travis DeSouza, a 13-year NYPD veteran, faces charges in Queens and Brooklyn for sending sexually explicit messages to an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl.
  • The alleged misconduct occurred while DeSouza supervised the NYPD’s Police Explorers program, which engages youth interested in law enforcement careers.
  • Prosecutors allege DeSouza sent explicit messages and a photo of himself in boxer shorts with an erection, despite acknowledging the 'teen' was a minor.
  • The NYPD has suspended DeSouza without pay, and he was released without bail following his court appearances in both boroughs.
  • The case has prompted scrutiny of the Police Explorers program and the NYPD’s internal oversight of youth outreach initiatives.