{"active":true,"first_name":"Benito","last_name":"Cruz","race":"Hispanic","gender":"Male","rank":"PO","command":{"command":"043 DET","assignment_date":"2026-05-09","id":"43det"},"shield_no":1486,"taxid":"956557","complaint_ids":[202500639,202405272,202404685,202403990,202402090,202308764,202300217,202204225,202203710,202100733,201806550,201506382],"command_history":[{"command":"MELD","id":"MELD"},{"command":"040 PCT","id":"40pct"},{"command":"PBBX SU PST"}],"appt_date":"2014-07-09","lawsuits":[{"name":"Thomas, Daeshawn, et Al vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2025-04-29","disposition_date":"2026-05-27","payout_amount":150000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"809584/2025E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx"},{"name":"Gorin, Kurt Iii vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2024-10-15","payout_amount":0,"disposition":"","docket":"815468/2024E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On May 14, 2024, Kurt Gorin III (\"Plaintiff\" or \"Claimant\") was falsely arrested, imprisoned, assaulted and battered and subjected to excessive force. Claimant had completed a job interview at White Castle on Webster Avenue when the named police officers NYPD Segeant Pinny, and Officer Moneron stopped him to illegally search him without probable cause. Claimant then walked two blocks further and saw these officers again and pulled out his phone to take down their license plate number. Then 3 male officers and one female officer got out of the car.  Segeant Pinny assaulted the Plaintiff, forcefully grabbing his hands and putting handcuffs on his left wrist at which the second male officer came up behind him and grabbed his right arm attempting to put the cuffs on his right wrist, but the first male officer was now bending his left arm in a clockwise motion while tightening the handcuff to his left wrist, cuffing him in an excessively tight manner. The tightness caused blood loss to the hands and numbness, bruising and internal derangement to his left shoulder. Plaintiff had not resisted or assaulted the defendants in any way and such forced as was used against him was unnecessary, unreasonable and excessive. The defendants had no warrant for the arrest for the plaintiff no probable cause for the arrest and no legal excuse or cause to seize the person of the plaintiff.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=SU/RlTAZejQGtsNtw9hc5A==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Stevens, Tyreek, et al. vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2024-09-10","disposition_date":"2025-05-08","payout_amount":120000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"814248/2024E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On May 4, 2023,  Plaintiffs Tyreek Stevens, James Roberts and John Santamaria  (collectively, \"Plaintiff\") was in the vicinity of East 162nd Street and Courtland Avenue, Defendants POLICE OFFICER BRYAN SCHEBLEIN, POLICE OFFICER SAMMY FIGUEROA, POLICE OFFICER BENITO CRUZ, POLICE OFFICER  CHAD KIRK, and unnamed POLICE OFFICER JOHN DOE/ROE, stopped, searched, grabbed, assaulted, battered and detained Plaintiff 1 in an aggressive and excessive manner. Plaintiff attests that they battered in an offensive and hostile manner causing battery in and about his head, neck, back, body and limbs. Plaintiff attests that Defendants illegally\nstopped and seized, searched and questioned based on race, and in order to meet arrest quotas.  The complaint does not elaborate as to the arrest charges but all charges were terminated in favor or the Plaintiff.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=aWZThznpPmAfvz0XcNgwUg==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Knight, Xavier vs City of Ny","start_date":"2023-09-20","disposition_date":"2024-05-17","payout_amount":50000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"814432/2023E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On February 18, 2023, plaintiff Xavier Knight was lawfully outside on the streets when defendant officers stopped him in an aggressive manner without legal justification. They then searched, grabbed, assaulted, battered, and detained him.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=GgIwKzqPb0t2bv/t1PoZVw==&display=all&courtType=Bronx%20County%20Supreme%20Court&resultsPageNum=1","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Williams, Joshia, et al. vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2023-08-08","payout_amount":0,"disposition":"","docket":"811751/2023E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On June 17, 2022, police officers Daniel MARDJONOVIC (Sheild No.6391) and BENITO CRUZ (Shield No.1486) arrested, detained, and imprisoned plaintiffs on charges of illegal possession of firearms. However, the police officers planted a fire arm in the motor vehicle in which plaintiffs were passengers.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=k1vxFnncspADyGqhAM4r9w==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Cullins, Desmond vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2022-02-03","disposition_date":"2023-02-28","payout_amount":22500,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"800440/2022E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On October 20, 2021, without legal justification, Defendants, P.O. STEPHEN BARRY, P.O. BENITO CRUZ, and SERGEANT WILLIAM MILLER handcuffed plaintiff DESMOND CULLINS and threatened him with the possible use of firearms and the use of physical force. Plaintiff was then wrongfully arrested and imprisoned until the dismissal of his charges on or about September 20, 2021.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=L7Tzi1sUVcjLKLt6X_PLUS_Us9g==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Mcneill, James vs City of Ny, et Al,","start_date":"2021-10-26","disposition_date":"2022-05-27","payout_amount":45000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"814529/2021E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On October 20, 2020, at approximately, 8:30 p.m., the Plaintiff, James McNeill was\nlawfully in the vicinity of East 135th Street and Cypress Avenue, County of the Bronx, City and State of New York and doing nothing illegal, improper or acting suspicious in anyway, when the Defendants, NYPD Police Officers Stephen Barry (shield #17142), Benito Cruz (shield #1486), Sergeant William Miller (shield #3280) , and P.O. Jon Doe and John Roe (identities unknown), absent an arrest warrant, probable cause, reasonable suspicion or any legal justification, approached\nMr. McNeill for no reason, and  stopped, searched, grabbed, assaulted and detained him in an excessive manner. The Defendants then transported Mr. McNeill to a police station in the County of the Bronx , where he was subjected  to a strip search, arraigned, and falsely and maliciously prosecuted with committing a crime. As a result of the Defendants' actions, Mr. McNeill sustained physical and emotional pain and injuries. Mr. McNeill remained incarcerated for over 24 hours and was required to make numerous court appearances over an extended period of time until all charges against him were terminated favorably.","documents":[{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240712180215/https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=USYQL1D1pjpTz5oFbXPhUQ==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Delgado, Jarrett vs City of Ny","start_date":"2021-10-18","disposition_date":"2022-03-02","payout_amount":25000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"814092/2021E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On October 2, 2020, Plaintiff was approached by P.O.s including Officers Daniel Mardjonovic and Benito Cruz and stopped, searched, grabbed, assaulted, battered, and detained. In the course of the arrest, Plaintiff was handled in an egregious manner and experienced injury to the head, neck, back, body and limbs. Plaintiff was subjected to a strip search and remained incarcerated for over 24 hours. After being prosecuted on false charges, all charges against Plaintiff were terminated favorably.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=KKt2roBy54D_PLUS_xXq/raJSgw==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Grant, Fitzroy vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2021-02-25","disposition_date":"2022-04-27","payout_amount":17500,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"802122/2021E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On October 26, 2019, in an unspecified location, Defendants Officers Benito Cruz and Reuben Serrano falsely arrested Plaintiff Fitzroy Grant and accused him of criminal possession of a weapon.  Defendant Officers handcuffed Plaintiff and threatened him with the use of possible physical force and took Plaintiff to the 40th precinct, and finally to Bronx Central Booking for arraignment.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=LobzAdqUePHps_PLUS_hT3b3TLw==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Grant, Johnathan vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2020-10-13","disposition_date":"2022-04-27","payout_amount":17500,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"030730/2020E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","officer_name":"Cruz, Benito","summary":"On or about October 26, 2019 POs Benito Cruz and Ruben Serrano approached Plaintiff, accused him of criminal possession of a weapon, then arrested, detained, and imprisoned him under threat of weapons, firearms, and physical force. A criminal court complaint against Plaintiff was subsequently filed. After significant expense and incurring debt, Plaintiff achieved a favorable dismissal of the charges on December 11, 2019.","documents":[{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240903172014/https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=kHxmja5lbo4zrDxDSFLMHw==","type":"complaint"}]}],"discipline":[{"disposition_date":"2019-12-26","case_no":"2019-21452","penalty":"Dismissal probation (12 months), pre-trial suspension days (30 days), vacation days (45 days)","charges":[{"desc":"Wrongfully used offensive language towards an individual known to the Department (race, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability).","disposition":"Guilty"},{"desc":"Wrongfully used physical force.","disposition":"Guilty"}]}],"documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22111846-953708_04072022_2022021pdf","date":"2022-04-07T00:00:00.000Z","type":"trial-decision"}],"payroll":{"salary":"109352","regular":"108510","overtime":"58099","other":"27322","total":"193931"},"news":[{"url":"https://gothamist.com/news/most-expensive-nypd-lawsuits-2021-2022","title":"Here are the most expensive NYPD lawsuits from this year","source":"Gothamist","date":"2022-09-02"},{"url":"https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-sewell-saves-job-officer-used-n-word-20220627-bw6n4wwikngo3gtyniicc2flwi-story.html","title":"NYPD Commissioner Sewell intervenes to save job of decorated Latino cop who called suspect the N-word","source":"New York Daily News","date":"2022-06-27"}],"id":"R3YD","url":"https://www.50-a.org/officer/R3YD"}