Man Found With With Pipe Bombs In Mercer Co. Faces Prison

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — A man admitted Tuesday in federal court that he possessed several pipe bombs in his vehicle and home, after they were discovered in his car in Mercer County.

Jeremy Giliberti, 52, of Mount Laurel pleaded guilty to possessing destructive devices. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 3.

Officers discovered four devices in his car last July, when police pulled him over in Hamilton. He was arrested at the scene. Authorities searched Giliberti's home and found a fifth explosive, according to court documents.

It's unclear what, if anything, Giliberti planned to do with the devices. No court documents or public statements about the case disclose any potential motive.

Giliberti was initially pulled over when officers saw him making an unsafe lane change and driving without a front license plate in Hamilton, Mercer County, authorities said.

During the stop, Giliberti made "odd statements," mumbled and avoided eye contact with police while "smiling a lot," according to court documents.

The man first told police that he was coming back from a dental procedure in Bristol, Pennsylvania, and was on his way to pick up pizza in Hamilton before he went home, authorities said.

Giliberti's story raised suspicions, since he had a pizza box in his car and because Hamilton is far from the path between Bristol and Mount Laurel, according to court documents.

Police searched Giliberti's car for drugs and found a small duffle bag on the front, passenger-side floorboard. Officers looked inside the bag and found four pipe bombs, authorities said.
Giliberti told police that he built the devices in the duffle bags, but he lied and told them that they were fireworks, according to court documents.

(With reporting from Josh Bakan, Patch Staff)