HUNTERDON COUNTY, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- A 30-year-old New Jersey man has been arrested after several Pride flags were stolen from locations in the borough of Frenchtown and later found in the Delaware River, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson said Tuesday.
Justin T. Settembrino, of Frenchtown, was charged with one count of fourth-degree bias intimidation, two counts of theft of moveable property, and one count of criminal mischief.
His arrest came after police were dispatched last Sunday morning to "a report of several LBTQ+ Pride flags recovered in the Delaware River by a concerned citizen," Robeson's office said.
Her office said "further investigation resulted in the discovery of video surveillance from the previous night which captured the perpetrator stealing the flags in question. Mr. Settembrino was positively identified as the person in the surveillance video."
On Aug. 8, several Pride flags throughout Frenchtown were found to be stolen or damaged. That investigation is ongoing, Robeson's office said, adding, "law enforcement, borough officials, and community members have rallied together to bring those responsible to justice."
