NJ police Sgt. Andrew LaBruno, ex-Dem candidate charged with assaulting child

A New Jersey police sergeant and former Democratic mayor is facing multiple charges after he allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted a child he met online, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.

Jersey City police Sgt. Andrew LaBruno, 44, was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said in a statement.

The alleged assault occurred earlier that day at a home in Englewood, New Jersey, authorities said.

Investigators allege LaBruno contacted a juvenile on a social media app, arranged a meeting, and went to the victim’s home while they were alone.

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A criminal complaint viewed by The New York Post said that LaBruno sprayed “an unknown substance into his hand” before “placing it over the victim’s mouth and nose, causing the victim dizziness.”

The complaint said the victim became “physically helpless” from being drugged, at which point LaBruno allegedly carried out the sexual assault, according to the report.

It’s unclear who called 911, but responding officers found the victim suffering from “cognitive impairment” inside the home, the complaint states.

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Authorities said LaBruno was taken into custody after investigators determined they had probable cause, based on statements made at the scene — captured on body camera — and corroborating physical evidence.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. 

LaBruno, a 26-year veteran of the Jersey City police, ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for the state Assembly in New Jersey’s 39th District earlier this month.
He previously served on the Dumont Borough Council and was mayor of Dumont from 2020 to 2023.

Prior to his recent political campaign, LaBruno served on Dumont’s Borough Council in 2018 and as the mayor of Dumont from January 2020 to December 2023.

He is currently being held without bail in the Bergen County Jail. The Jersey City Police Department has suspended him without pay, according to local outlets.

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LaBruno, who is married with two children, has also been involved in coaching youth sports through Dumont Recreation, according to his campaign website.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Jersey City Mayor’s Office and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, but did not hear back by time of publication.