Jersey City police sergeant charged with sex assault, endangering welfare of a child
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- A sergeant with the Jersey City Police Department is under arrest and charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
Investigators say 44-year-old Sgt. Andrew LaBruno met a juvenile on social media.
He is accused of making arrangements to meet the child before sexually assaulting the victim at the minor's home in Englewood.
The criminal complaint says LaBruno knew the minor was physically helpless and mentally incapacitated and sprayed an unknown substance into his own hand and placed it over the victim's mouth and nose before the alleged sex assault.
LaBruno was just on the November ballot a few weeks ago and came close but lost a bid for the State Assembly in District 39.
He spent a year on the Dumont Borough Council before being elected mayor, serving from 2020 to 2023.
But for the last 20 years, LaBruno has been a Jersey City police officer.
He has been suspended without pay following his arrest.
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