SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — A police sergeant from Sussex County who was working during the recent unrest at Delaney Hall stole a journalist’s camera equipment, according to Attorney General Jennifer Davenport.
Sergeant Darryl Brown, 43, of Sparta, who works for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, faces charges following accusations of theft.
On Saturday, a photojournalist covering the protests at Delaney Hall in Newark was injured while on-the-job and dropped his camera bag before being taken to a hospital for treatment.
The camera bag, which contained around $10,000 worth of equipment, also contained an Apple AirTag. The photojournalist tracked the AirTag to the home of Brown in Sparta, officials said.
The AirTag was later found by a friend of the reporter, miles away from Brown’s home, with none of the equipment it was meant to be tracking.
Brown’s body camera footage shows him interacting with the reporter’s bag the night it was lost, authorities said.
A search of Brown’s home yielded the missing equipment, officials said. The gear was labeled with the journalist’s name and phone number, authorities added.
Brown was charged with third-degree theft. If convicted, he could spend up to five years in prison and have to pay a fine of up to $15,000.
“The allegations against Sergeant Brown are serious and concerning. He has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office,” said Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II. “Conduct that undermines the public’s trust in law enforcement is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office remains committed to accountability, integrity, and maintaining the public’s trust in the criminal justice system.”
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