Grand Jury INDICTS Democrat Former New Jersey Mayor and Police Sergeant for Drugging and Sexually Assaulting a Child He Met Online
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Andrew LaBruno mugshot, Image 2 shows Andrew LaBruno, Image 3 shows Andrew LaBruno's campaign photo
A Democrat politician who previously held executive office in Bergen County while also serving in law enforcement is now facing serious criminal charges following a grand jury indictment last week.
Andrew LaBruno, 44, of Dumont, a former Democratic mayor and current Jersey City police sergeant, has been indicted on multiple felony counts, including official misconduct, 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 served as mayor of Dumont, New Jersey from 2020 to 2023, after previously holding a borough council seat. Prosecutors allege that he initiated contact with a juvenile online and later arranged an in-person meeting at the child’s Englewood home while the victim’s parents were away.
Court documents claim that LaBruno sprayed an unknown substance into his hand and applied it over the victim’s mouth and nose, causing dizziness and cognitive impairment prior to the alleged sexual assault. Authorities were alerted after a 911 call from a concerned member of the public. Responding investigators reportedly found the child in a state of “cognitive impairment.”
The indictment also includes a charge of official misconduct. Prosecutors allege that LaBruno identified himself as a police officer during the encounter in an effort to hinder his apprehension. NJ.com reports that investigators found physical evidence both at the scene and on LaBruno after seizing two electronic devices.
LaBruno has been employed by law enforcement since December 1, 2005, and currently earns a salary of over $120,000 per year. He was suspended without pay immediately following his November arrest and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Once considered a rising star in his local Democratic party—serving as a councilman, mayor, and aspiring State Assembly candidate—LaBruno now faces the possibility of decades in prison if convicted.
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