By Bernard Van Houten | The Garden State Gazette

DUMONT, NJ — You couldn’t script a scandal this wild.

Andrew LaBruno, 44, the former Mayor of Dumont and an active Jersey City police sergeant, has been charged with assaulting a juvenile, according to prosecutors — a revelation that has ripped through Bergen County like a lightning strike.

A man who once cut ribbons, shook hands, and asked for votes is now sitting behind bars. And Dumont? Dumont is LOSING IT.

THE SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS

According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, LaBruno allegedly met the minor through a social media app. Investigators say he later went to the child’s home, where he is accused of using an unknown substance to incapacitate the victim before assaulting them.

A 911 call brought first responders to the scene, where the juvenile was reportedly showing signs of impairment.

LaBruno is now facing a stack of charges:

• FIRST-DEGREE aggravated sexual assault
• Sexual assault by force/coercion
• Endangering the welfare of a child

As always, he’s presumed innocent unless proven guilty, but the accusations alone have detonated a political and community firestorm.

DUMONT IS IN FULL SHOCK MODE

Residents can’t believe the man they saw at council meetings, town events, and campaign flyers is now at the center of a criminal case this serious.

“THIS IS INSANE,” one lifelong resident told GSG. “A former mayor AND a cop? What the hell is going on?”

Another resident said the entire situation feels “like a Netflix crime documentary dropped on our doorstep.”

People are angry. People are hurt. People feel betrayed.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

That’s the big question — and no one has answers.

LaBruno built a long career in law enforcement, served as mayor, and even ran for higher office. Now prosecutors are laying out allegations that look like the total opposite of everything those roles are supposed to represent.

For residents, the whiplash is real:

One day he’s a public official.
The next day he’s the headline of the most explosive story in North Jersey.

HELD IN JAIL — AND A COMMUNITY DEMANDING ANSWERS

LaBruno is currently being held at the Bergen County Jail as the investigation moves forward.

The Jersey City Police Department is expected to address the situation, but so far, no major public statement has landed.

Meanwhile, Dumont residents want to know:

• Were there warning signs?
• Will more details come out in court?
• Is anyone else under investigation?
• How could this happen right under everyone’s nose?

The silence is only fueling more questions.

THE AFTERSHOCKS WILL LAST A LONG TIME

This case isn’t going away anytime soon. A former mayor and active police sergeant facing charges involving a juvenile is the kind of story that rewrites a town’s history.

Dumont won’t forget this — ever.

The community is bracing for every new development, every hearing, every detail prosecutors release. Because this isn’t just a scandal — it’s a reckoning.