Trenton detective accused of ‘unlawfully’ using pepper spray, lying in complaint: prosecutors

A Trenton police detective was indicted on multiple charges after prosecutors said he is accused of “unlawfully” using pepper spray on a man and making statements “he knew to be false” in a criminal complaint that he filed against the victim.

On April 16, 2026, a Mercer County grand jury voted to indict 51-year-old Aaron Bernstein on two counts of second-degree official misconduct, one count of third-degree perjury, one count of third-degree aggravated assault and one count of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

According to Mercer County prosecutors, the charges stemmed from an incident that happened on May 10, 2022.

Officials said Bernstein is accused of using pepper spray on a 27-year-old man, in violation of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Use of Force Policy.

Bernstein is also accused of certifying to statements he knew weren’t true when he filed charges of obstructing the administration of law and resisting arrest against the victim in this incident.

According to prosecutors, at the time of the incident, Bernstein was a 19-year member of the Trenton Police Department.