On June 5, 2026, a New Jersey police sergeant was accused of stealing $10,000 worth of cameras and equipment belonging to a photojournalist injured during protests outside a Newark immigration jail. The sergeant, Darryl Brown from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, was found in possession of the items after the journalist used a geo-tracking device to locate her missing gear at his residence, according to the state’s attorney general.
The incident occurred while Angelina Katsanis, the journalist from The Associated Press, was covering an assignment at Delaney Hall. During the event, she was hit on the knee by a wooden beam amid clashes between police and protesters. Katsanis moved to a medical tent, leaving behind her gear bag marked with her name and contact details. Upon her return in a wheelchair, the bag had disappeared.
“I checked my Airtag and the bag was already on a highway pretty far away at that point,” Katsanis mentioned. “Right away, I had a feeling it was the police because they were the only ones with access to that area.”
Katsanis later received medical care at a nearby hospital. The Airtag eventually signaled a location in Sparta, New Jersey, a residence owned by Brown. The tracking device was later found discarded along a roadside shortly after. Brown’s body camera footage reportedly showed him interacting with the bag at the protest site.
Following a search warrant conducted at Brown’s home, several stolen items were recovered, some with Katsanis’ identification. Brown is facing third-degree theft charges and is suspended without pay, as per the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. There was no immediate response from Brown or his attorney for comments.
Katsanis, experienced in covering hostile situations, expressed her dismay, stating, “I’ve thought a lot about how the officers are supposed to uphold the law and protect us and protect property — and this is the exact opposite of that.”
The protests outside the detention center have amplified in response to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Demonstrators and law enforcement have regularly clashed, escalating in recent times due to alleged poor conditions for detainees, which the federal government has denied.
Katsanis reported she suffered swelling and bruising on her leg but avoided breaking any bones.