Newark, N.J. Police Director Samuel DeMaio’s weeklong crusade to find the perpetrators in a beating caught on video has met success, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. A 19-year-old man has been charged in connection with a viral video that portrayed a Newark teenager being forced to strip then whipped repeatedly with a belt. DeMaio called the video—which garnered more than 40,000 views on YouTube before being removed—“sickening” and assigned three separate detective squads in his bid to find the man holding the belt in the clip.

The video captures the torture of the teenager for roughly two-and-a-half minutes, beginning with a group of men cornering him, ordering him to remove his clothes. As the teenager strips naked, one man in a black hat and T-shirt berates and curses at him before beating him with a belt. The beating continues as the men back the boy into a corner, screaming at him throughout, demanding money the boy’s father supposedly owed—$20.

You don’t know how bad I want to see the kid who did that taken into custody,” DeMaio told the Star-Ledger. “To see him stripped down naked and taken advantage of and abused like that, it was sickening to me. I pictured somebody doing that to my son … the people that did that need to be brought to justice for sure.”

Essex County authorities now hold the alleged assailant, who has been charged with robbery, conspiracy and aggravated assault—in custody. Two others—the alleged cameraman and a third person present during the attack—were also arrested Tuesday night. Police have declined to identify the suspects, who may be charged with federal crimes because they forced the teen to strip naked. According to former Manhattan district attorney Eugene O’Donnel, if the victim is younger than 16, the suspects could be charged with distribution of child pornography.

I’d throw every available book at these guys,” O’Donnel said. “It’s an outrageous incident.”

Newark City Council President Anibal Ramos agrees.

The perpetrator as well as those who stood idly by laughing and videotaping this act of savage brutality should be brought to justice,” he said.

Newark residents are no strangers to violent crime, but the video has led to widespread outrage. Newark West Ward Councilman Ronald Rice Jr. told the Star-Ledger, “We should all be embarrassed.”

It’s the game. It’s thug life. This is now the culture,” he said.

The original video has been removed from YouTube.