South Plainfield Man Admits He Brought Firecracker To NJ Bar

SEA BRIGHT, NJ – A South Plainfield man admitted on Thursday to bringing a homemade explosive to Donovan's Reef in Sea Bright on Memorial Day weekend last year.

In a virtual hearing before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Lourdes Lucas, Thomas Kaiser, 56, stated that he brought a homemade firecracker to the popular beachside bar on Aug. 31, 2019.

According to Kaiser, he gave the explosive to a member of the band performing that evening. The band that was playing, Guns 4 Hire, wrote on their Facebook page it was merely fireworks brought by an unknown fan to the show. Nevertheless, Donovan's Reef was promptly evacuated that night, which was deemed one of the busiest nights of the year, according to authorities. Read more: Stunning New Details In NJ Parade Explosives Case (UPDATED)

Kaiser admitted at the virtual hearing that he possessed similar devices at his home. It was when he learned of the Donovan's Reef investigation last year that he quickly disposed of the materials still at his residence. The discarded parts caused the cancellation of the South Plainfield Labor Day Parade, which was scheduled for the next day, as the items were found along the parade route. Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy were slated to make an appearance.

The South Plainfield man pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon and one count of tampering with evidence.

Read more: 'Gross Negligence:' Sea Bright Bar Draws Criticism Over Crowding

Lucas stated that, without a plea bargain from Kaiser, the man could've faced over 11 years in state prison and $37,500 in fines.

Kaiser was released from jail on Sept. 13 and will remain free under court monitoring until a sentencing hearing. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 2.