Man Pleads Guilty In Weapons Incident Outside Westfield School

WESTFIELD NJ —A Delaware man pleaded guilty in Union County Superior Court today in connection with an incident in June in which he was arrested for having a loaded gun and bullets in his car outside of a Westfield elementary school.

Thomas J. Wilkie, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a weapon, according to Mark Spivey, communications director for the Union County Prosecutor's Office. Wilkie's sentencing is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

On June 13, Wilkie was arrested by Westfield police in the parking lot of Tamaques Elementary School after they received information from Delaware law enforcement authorities that he might be en route to the school and armed.

Police found Wilkie in the car allegedly holding a .45-caliber handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets. They also found 130 additional rounds of ammunition in the trunk, according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office.

In October, he was indicted by a Union County grand jury on six weapons offenses, including third-degree possession of a firearm in or upon the grounds of an educational institution. He pleaded guilty Monday to only the first count.

Various news reports have stated that Wilkie's family had made contact with Delaware authorities and was concerned about him, and that he might try to contact a teacher at the school with whom he had had a relationship.

Wilkie's brother posted comments about the incident on Patch.com in June.

The school was placed on lockdown when police received information, and Wilkie was arrested without incident.

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