New Jersey Police Sergeant Charged With Stealing AP Photographer's Gear During Immigration Protest
A New Jersey police sergeant has been criminally charged with stealing a photojournalist's camera bag after she was hurt while documenting a protest against U.S. immigration enforcement policies outside a detention facility in Newark, according to state officials.
Sgt. Darryl Brown, 43, of Sparta Township, was charged with third-degree theft following an investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. Prosecutors allege Brown took cameras and related gear valued at roughly $10,000 belonging to Associated Press photojournalist Angelina Katsanis, who was covering demonstrations at Delaney Hall on May 30.
Investigators say Katsanis was injured during the protest and transported to a nearby hospital, leaving behind a camera bag containing professional equipment. Authorities allege Brown, who had been assigned to the protest detail, later unlawfully took possession of the bag.
The case was cracked after investigators traced an Apple AirTag attached to one of the missing items to Brown's home. A court-authorized search of his residence later recovered several pieces of equipment, officials said.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the charge on June 4, describing the allegations as a breach of public trust. “So many police officers conduct themselves with integrity, uphold the law, maintain order and public safety, and serve our communities with distinction,” Davenport said in a statement. “When an officer does what is alleged in this case, it is a disservice to the profession and the public.” She added that “absolutely no one is above the law” and vowed accountability for officers who abuse their positions.
If convicted, Brown faces between three and five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. It was not immediately clear whether Brown has retained legal counsel.
The charges come amid heightened scrutiny of law enforcement conduct at protests, particularly those tied to immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Delaney Hall, a privately run immigration detention center in Newark, has become a flashpoint for activists opposing detentions and deportations. The theft allegation further strains the already fragile relationship between police and communities who view such incidents as evidence of institutional indifference.
According to the criminal complaint, Katsanis suffered bruising and swelling after being struck in the knee during a clash between demonstrators and police. She dropped her camera bag while being treated at the scene. Investigators said she later used an Apple AirTag to track the equipment's location, leading them to Brown's house in Sparta Township. The AirTag was later recovered several miles away, but a search of Brown's home on June 3 turned up multiple missing items, some still bearing labels with Katsanis's name and phone number, authorities alleged.
Body-worn camera footage from Brown's shift at the protest also showed him interacting with a dark-colored bag matching the description of the journalist's equipment, according to the complaint.
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II confirmed that Brown has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. “Conduct that undermines the public's trust in law enforcement is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Stephens said in a statement.
Katsanis told The Associated Press that the alleged theft left her shaken, adding that she had been covering protests for years but never experienced anything like this.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at [email protected], or on X @athompsonUSAT.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NJ police sergeant charged in theft of AP journalist's camera bag