Attorney General says veteran officer tracked to missing equipment through AirTag investigation
TRENTON, N.J. — A sergeant with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has been charged with theft after investigators alleged he stole a photojournalist’s camera equipment worth approximately $10,000 following a protest outside Newark’s Delaney Hall.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Thursday that Sergeant Darryl Brown, 43, of Sparta Township, has been charged with third-degree theft following an investigation conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
According to authorities, the case stems from a May 30 protest at Delaney Hall where a photojournalist was injured while covering the event. Investigators said the journalist dropped a camera bag containing cameras and related equipment before being transported to a hospital for treatment.
After receiving medical care, the journalist used an Apple AirTag attached to one of the items to track the missing equipment, investigators said.
According to the criminal complaint, the tracking data led to a residence in Sparta Township that was later identified as Brown’s home. Authorities said the AirTag was subsequently recovered by a friend of the victim several miles away, but the rest of the equipment remained missing.
Investigators allege Brown was deployed to Delaney Hall in his official law enforcement capacity on the day of the protest.
Authorities further allege that body-worn camera footage shows Brown interacting with a dark-colored bag matching the description of the journalist’s missing property.
On June 3, investigators executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and recovered several items reported missing by the journalist, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Some of the recovered items allegedly still displayed labels bearing the victim’s name and phone number.
Brown has been charged by complaint summons with third-degree theft. Prosecutors said the charge carries a potential sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000 if convicted.
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II said Brown has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
The charge is an accusation, and Brown is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Key Points
- An Essex County Prosecutor’s Office sergeant is charged with allegedly stealing a journalist’s camera equipment valued at about $10,000.
- Investigators said an Apple AirTag helped trace the missing property to the defendant’s residence.
- Authorities reported recovering several missing items during a June 3 search warrant execution.