A New Jersey police sergeant and former Democratic mayor is facing multiple charges after allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting 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 assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said in a statement.
The alleged attack took place earlier that day at a home in Englewood, New Jersey, authorities said.
Investigators allege LaBruno contacted a juvenile through 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 LaBruno “squirted an unknown substance into his hand” before “placing it over the victim’s mouth and nose, causing the victim to become dizzy.”
The complaint stated that the victim was rendered “physically helpless” by the drugged substances, at which point LaBruno allegedly committed the assault, the report said.
It’s unclear who called 911, but officers found the victim in the home suffering from “cognitive impairment,” according to the complaint.
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Andrew LaBruno has been with the Jersey City Police Department for nearly 26 years, according to his 2025 campaign website for state assemblyman. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
Authorities said LaBruno was taken into custody after investigators determined probable cause, based on statements made at the scene — captured on a body camera — and corroborated physical evidence.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
LaBruno, a 26-year veteran of the Jersey City Police Department, ran unsuccessfully for state Assembly in New Jersey’s 39th District earlier this month.
He previously served on the Dumont Borough Council and served as mayor of Dumont from 2020 to 2023.
Jersey City Police Sgt. Andrew LaBruno, 44, ran as a Democrat to represent District 39 in the New Jersey General Assembly but lost in the Nov. 5 election. (Andrew LaBruno/Frue
Prior to his recent political campaign, LaBruno served on the Dumont Borough Council in 2018 and served as Mayor of Dumont from January 2020 to December 2023.
He is currently being held in the Bergen County Jail without bail. Jersey City police suspended him without pay, according to local media.
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LaBruno, who is married with two children, is also 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 at time of publication.
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