Middletown School Board Member Joe Fitzgerald Will Have First Court Hearing Wednesday

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Middletown school board member Joe Fitzgerald remains locked up behind bars in the Monmouth County jail for eight days now, since he was first arrested last Monday evening.

Fitzgerald, charged with six illegal gun crimes, remained in the Monmouth County jail over the July 4 holiday weekend, and he will remain there Monday and Tuesday. His first court hearing is scheduled for this Wednesday, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor said Monday morning.

Fitzgerald was arrested last Monday by Middletown Police in Middletown, who charged him with a series of illegal weapons charges. The most serious crime he is accused of is unlawful possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, a crime for which, if he is found guilty, he could serve up to five years in prison.

Fitzgerald is charged with a total of six illegal weapons offenses. The charges are:

• Unlawful possession of a weapon: handgun without a permit 2C:39-5B(1).
• Unlawful possession of a weapon: handguns/air/spring/pistol 2C:39-5B(2).

• Unlawful possession of a weapon: other weapons 2C:39-5D.
• Unlawful possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose 2C:39-4A(1).
• Unlawful Possession/Other Weapon 2C:39-4D.
• Unlawful Possession/Other Weapon 2C:39-4D.

Fitzgerald is a former U.S. Marine and a married father, with children in the Middletown school district. This was his first term on the Middletown school board and he's been on the board for the past three years; he was first elected to the school board in 2022. (Board members are elected for three-year terms in Middletown.)

His seat is up for re-election this November and he publicly said on his Facebook page that he intends to seek re-election this fall.

First report: Middletown School Board Member Joe Fitzgerald Arrested On Illegal Gun Charges (July 1)