A Brooklyn judge sentenced 26-year-old Janeal Figueroa to 12 years in prison on Monday for sexually assaulting a woman he followed from a Kensington bar in 2023, capping a case that hinged on surveillance video, a fast-moving eyewitness and an off-duty officer who happened to be visiting from out of state.
Jury Convicted Figueroa Back in May
According to Brooklyn Eagle, a Brooklyn jury convicted Figueroa on May 20, 2026, of first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree sexual abuse following a trial. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jay Weiner handed down the sentence on Monday, ordering 12 years of post-release supervision to follow the 12-year prison term, per the same outlet. As News 12 New York reports, prosecutors say the Canarsie man sexually assaulted the 35-year-old woman in an alley after following her from a bar in Kensington.
The assault occurred around 10:30 p.m. on April 7, 2023, after the victim left a bar on Beverley Road in Kensington, where she had continued drinking alone after earlier meeting friends, according to the Windsor Terrace-Kensington Patch. The outlet reports that video surveillance captured Figueroa placing his arm around the woman and carrying her into an alley near East 2nd Street and Church Avenue while she repeatedly screamed “no, no, no,” then pulling her back by her ankles when she tried to crawl away.
An Off-Duty Officer's Chance Intervention
An eyewitness flagged down an off-duty police officer who happened to be visiting from Montgomery County, Maryland, and that officer ordered Figueroa out of the alley, the Windsor Terrace-Kensington Patch reports. When Figueroa tried to flee, he instead bragged about the assault to the officer and another witness before NYPD officers arrested him nearby, per the same account.
The stretch of Kensington near Church Avenue and East 2nd Street where the attack took place falls under the jurisdiction of the NYPD's 66th Precinct, which covers Kensington and Borough Park, according to information cited by StreetEasy.
What the Sentence Means Under State Law
First-degree criminal sexual act is classified under New York Penal Law § 130.50 as a Class B violent felony, carrying a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum of 25 years, according to the Law Firm of Andrew M. Stengel. Figueroa's 12-year term falls within that statutory range. A conviction on this charge also triggers mandatory registration under New York's Sex Offender Registration Act, per RAINN, meaning Figueroa will face registry requirements once he is released.
Justice Weiner, who presided over the case, was appointed to the Brooklyn Supreme Court bench in 2019 and previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in both Kings and Queens counties, according to information from NYC.gov. The case was prosecuted by the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
