Brick Man Charged Over Suspicious Device Hoax That Led to Parade Cancellation

A 56-year-old Brick Township man who reported finding a suspicious device in Keansburg on the morning of the borough’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been charged in connection with the incident, authorities announced Tuesday.

According to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, Christopher J. Otis is facing one count of second-degree false public alarm, along with third-degree charges of possession of a destructive device and providing false information to a police officer.

Police were first alerted on Saturday, March 28, at approximately 10:45 a.m., when Keansburg officers responded to the area of Beachway and Bayview Avenues following a report of a suspicious device. The caller, later identified as Otis, told officers he had discovered the object near a beachside walking path. He also indicated that he worked as a fire safety and environmental compliance officer at Brookdale Community College.

Responding officers located the device near a staging area for participants in the upcoming parade. Authorities quickly secured the area, and out of an abundance of caution, the parade was ultimately canceled.

A coordinated search effort involving K9 units was launched across the parade route and surrounding areas, but no additional suspicious items were found.

The investigation, led by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau in coordination with the Keansburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, uncovered what officials described as conflicting accounts regarding Otis’ involvement in the discovery of the device.

Otis has since been taken into custody and is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending future court proceedings.

Authorities said the investigation also involved assistance from multiple agencies, including the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, New Jersey State Police, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, and local police departments in Middletown and Brick Township.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano of the Major Crimes Bureau. Otis is represented by defense attorney Robert G. Stahl of Mountainside.