ENGLEWOOD, NJ – A former Dumont mayor and current Jersey City police sergeant has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a child he met on social media, prosecutors said Monday.
Andrew LaBruno, 44, was charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
LaBruno nearly became a New Jersey legislator on Election Day, losing a close election to his Republican opponent.
Investigators said LaBruno met the juvenile online and arranged to meet at the child’s home in Englewood, where the assault allegedly occurred while the victim was home alone.
Authorities said LaBruno was taken into custody Monday and booked into the Bergen County Jail, where he awaits a detention hearing in Superior Court in Hackensack.
Bergen County prosecutors detail investigation
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said the Englewood Police Department contacted his office’s Special Victims Unit on Monday to report the alleged assault. An immediate joint investigation was launched with Englewood police under Chief Thomas Greeley.
The investigation revealed that LaBruno, who was not previously known to the victim, initiated contact through a social media application and later went to the child’s home, where the assault took place, prosecutors said.
LaBruno was charged under New Jersey statutes N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(7), N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2c(1), and N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(1), representing the aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and endangering counts, respectively.
Prosecutor Musella emphasized that the charges are accusations and that LaBruno is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Police and political background
LaBruno, who served as mayor of Dumont before joining the Jersey City Police Department, had recently lost a bid for the state Assembly in District 39 as a Democratic candidate aligned with gubernatorial hopeful Steve Fulop.
Jersey City spokesperson Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione confirmed LaBruno was immediately suspended without pay following his arrest. She said the department’s Internal Affairs unit will conduct its own review, while city police cooperate with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
LaBruno remains in custody pending a court decision on whether he will be held through trial.
Key Points
- Former Dumont mayor and Jersey City police sergeant Andrew LaBruno was charged with sexually assaulting a child he met online.
- The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Englewood Police led the joint investigation after the alleged assault Monday.
- LaBruno, who recently ran for state Assembly, was suspended from his police position and is being held in the Bergen County Jail.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robert Auth | 50,382 | 25.9 | ||
| Republican | John Azzariti | 49,650 | 25.6 | ||
| Democratic | Andrew LaBruno | 47,214 | 24.3 | ||
| Democratic | Donna Abene | 46,991 | 24.2 | ||
| Total votes | 156,732 | 100.0 | |||