FREEHOLD — A 56-year-old Ocean County man who reported a suspicious device near a St. Patrick’s Day parade route in Monmouth County has been charged after authorities said his account of the incident raised concerns.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Tuesday that Christopher J. Otis, of Brick Township, faces charges including second-degree false public alarm, third-degree possession of a destructive device, and third-degree providing false information to law enforcement.
Police in Keansburg responded around 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, to the area of Beachway and Bayview avenues after Otis reported finding what he described as a suspicious device near a beachside walking path.
Officers later located the item close to a staging area where participants were preparing for the borough’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Authorities immediately secured the area, and the parade was canceled as a precaution. K-9 units conducted a sweep of the route and surrounding areas, but no additional threats were found.
Investigators later determined that Otis, who told officers he worked as a fire safety and environmental compliance officer at Brookdale Community College, gave inconsistent statements regarding how he came across the device, according to officials.
The case is being handled by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau, with assistance from local, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI.
Otis is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending court proceedings. He is represented by an attorney based in Mountainside. The case is assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano.
Officials emphasized that the charges are accusations and that Otis is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
