A man accused of bringing homemade fireworks and other explosive devices to a Jersey Shore bar, resulting in a Labor Day parade cancellation, will not see jail time after pleading guilty, officials say.
Thomas Kaiser of South Plainfield, New Jersey, was sentenced to one year of probation Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of prohibited weapons and one count of tampering with physical evidence, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Chris Swendeman. In addition, Kaiser surrendered his legally owned firearms and permit to purchase firearms.
Kaiser, 55, was arrested on Labor Day weekend in 2019 after bringing an explosive to Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright. He allegedly left a cooler of fireworks at a concert which led police to find other multiple explosive devices, according to law enforcement officials, and his brother previously told NBC New York it was all a misunderstanding.
Kaiser gave the package to the band who was performing that night and then left the package behind. When questioned about the cooler of fireworks, Kaiser said he brought the fireworks to the concert hoping they would be set off at the end.
He earlier had been seen trying to deliver a homemade device to a band member at the concert, a senior law enforcement official said. The device was removed and determined to be a large m-80 firework.
After the initial package was discovered, an investigation led to Kaiser’s home, where other devices were found near the residence, authorities said.
Kaiser’s lawyer told the court that his client was unaware that making homemade fireworks was illegal. Swendeman said that Kaiser did not intend to cause harm with the explosives and did not have a prior record.
