Essex County Prosecutor’s Sergeant from Sparta Charged with Theft at Delaney Hall Protest

SPARTA — A sergeant with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has been charged with theft after allegedly taking a photojournalist’s camera equipment while the journalist was being treated at a hospital following a protest at Newark’s Delaney Hall.

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability announced Tuesday that Sgt. Darryl Brown, 43, of Sparta Township, has been charged by complaint summons with third-degree theft.

The charge stems from the disappearance of camera equipment belonging to a photojournalist who was covering a protest at Delaney Hall on May 30. According to investigators, the journalist was injured at the scene and dropped a camera bag containing an estimated $10,000 worth of cameras and related equipment before being transported to a nearby hospital.

The journalist later tracked an Apple AirTag attached to one of the missing items, with the signal leading investigators to a residence in Sparta Township. The AirTag was subsequently recovered several miles from its original location by a friend of the victim. Investigators determined the original destination of the device was Brown’s home.

Brown had been assigned to the Delaney Hall area in his official law enforcement capacity on the day of the protest. Body-worn camera footage showed him interacting with a dark-colored bag consistent with the description of the journalist’s belongings, according to the complaint.

On June 3, investigators executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and recovered several of the items reported missing — some of which allegedly still bore the victim’s name and phone number on identification labels.

“When an officer does what is alleged in this case, it is a disservice to the profession and the public,” Attorney General Davenport said. “Absolutely no one is above the law. We will hold law enforcement accountable when they abuse the tremendous position of public trust that they occupy and choose to break the law.”

Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II said 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.

A third-degree theft conviction carries a potential sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Editor’s Note: The court’s rules require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.