NJ caller who alerted suspect device that canceled parade put it there himself: Officials

NBC New York reports that Christopher Otis, 56, a New Jersey resident who called police about a suspicious device near a St. Patrick's Day parade staging area on March 28, has been charged with placing the device there himself. Prosecutors allege Otis initially told officers he found the device off a walking path, but a joint FBI, Monmouth County Prosecutor, and Keansburg Police investigation revealed conflicting accounts of his involvement. The article provides named sources from law enforcement and quotes Otis's attorney, Robert Stahl, who characterizes the device as equivalent to an M-80 firework and claims it posed no actual threat; however, the article lacks specific details about the investigation's timeline, what evidence led prosecutors to charge Otis, or the exact nature of the contradictions uncovered. The independent search confirms the core fact through a Patch report covering the same charges, though it offers no additional investigative detail. Watch for court proceedings to reveal the specifics of the investigation and what evidence prosecutors presented to support their charges.