NJ Sergeant Charged With Stealing Journalist’s $10K Camera Gear

A New Jersey police sergeant has been charged with stealing $10,000 worth of camera equipment from an Associated Press photojournalist during a protest at Delaney Hall in Newark. Darryl Brown, a 43-year-old sergeant with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, was charged with third-degree theft after allegedly taking the gear from Angelina Katsanis on May 30 while she covered anti-ICE protests. Katsanis was injured during the protest and later discovered her missing bag using a geo-tracking device, which led authorities to Brown’s home. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced the charges on Thursday, calling the alleged theft a "disservice to the profession and the public." Brown has been suspended without pay pending further investigation. If convicted, he could face three to five years in prison and a $15,000 fine. Katsanis, who was left in a wheelchair due to her injuries, expressed shock at the officer’s alleged actions, stating that law enforcement is supposed to protect, not steal, property. Authorities recovered some of the stolen items during a search of Brown’s home. Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II confirmed Brown’s suspension and the ongoing investigation.