Judge releases NJ cop accused of raping teen in Grindr hookup as lawyer touts new evidence

🚨Jersey City police sgt. is out on pretrial monitoring, accused of teen sex assault

👮‍♂️Former Dumont mayor, Andrew LaBruno is accused of meeting the teen on Grindr

🏛️LaBruno’s lawyer says new evidence weakens ‘frivolous allegations’

A Jersey City police sergeant who once served as a mayor in Bergen County has been released on home monitoring as he awaits trial on accusations of raping a juvenile he met on a social media app.

Andrew LaBruno, of Dumont, was first arrested in November. A Bergen County grand jury indicted him on two counts of second-degree official misconduct, first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, and third-degree child endangerment.

The defense attorney for the 44-year-old Democrat — who lost a campaign for state Assembly last year —calls the charges “baseless” and says his client looks forward to clearing his name.

Judge reopens detention hearing, cites new evidence

On Thursday, Superior Court Judge Gary Wilcox, sitting in Hackensack, addressed a motion by defense attorney Jeffrey Garrigan to release LaBruno, citing new evidence.

“This evidence was material to the issue of my client’s release as it substantially weakened all of the frivolous allegations made against him and convinced the court he is a threat to no one as the matter proceeds towards trial,” Garrigan said in a written response to New Jersey 101.5 on Friday.

Investigators previously said the boy accused the public official of using a knock-out spray before the sexual assault. In a previous court hearing, prosecutors said LaBruno used amyl nitrate "poppers," an inhalant used for sexual activity.

Toxicology reports and medical examinations appear to contradict the allegations against LaBruno, according to Garrigan in court, as reported by New Jersey Globe. 

Ultimately, the judge has now allowed LaBruno to work during certain specified hours, to support his family as the case works its way through the system, Garrigan said.

LaBruno was suspended without pay from his police job, immediately at the start of the case.

Read More: Jersey City police sergeant indicted for teen sex assault

Allegations involve meeting juvenile through social media app

On Nov. 17, 2025, Englewood Police contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit for the reported sex assault of a local juvenile.

LaBruno chatted with a juvenile on the sex and dating app Grindr and made arrangements to meet, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella previously said.

LaBruno was accused of then showing up at the juvenile’s home and sexually assaulting him.

LaBruno was on duty and in his police uniform during the incident, prosecutors said during a previous court hearing, as reported by Independent Online News.

The next court date is May 11 for an initial case conference, according to online records.

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