A Morris County man has been charged with unlawfully possessing and storing explosives and explosive materials at his Denville residence, according to U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
Joseph Rizos, 37, of Denville, is charged by complaint with one count of unlawful receipt of explosive materials; one count of unlawful storage of explosive material; and one count of unlawful possession of plastic explosives without a detection agent.
He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on Aug. 26 and was ordered detained.
Court documents and statements made by prosecutors allege that between approximately April 2020 and June 2026, Rizos purchased and received various explosive materials, including fuels, fuses, precursor chemicals, and laboratory equipment from online retailers, which he illegally stored at his home.
A New York Post article referred to Rizos as a “New Jersey nutjob” and claimed he “allegedly hatched a years-long sinister scheme that started in April 2020…”
Voter registration records indicate Rizos is a registered Republican.
On June 24, law enforcement searched Rizos’s residence on Avondale Road.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, they recovered a sophisticated home laboratory, detailed receipts for manufacturing multiple types of explosives, and industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals that can be used to make explosives. Various containers of suspected explosives were also found in the bedroom, basement, and garage.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office previously stated that a search of a shed on the property yielded approximately 109 individual containers of suspected homemade explosives “capable of massive destruction.”
Nearby residences were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. The prosecutor’s office has also charged Rizos with state offenses, including second-degree recklessly risking widespread injury or damage and four counts of third-degree possession of destructive devices.
A previous detention hearing in Superior Court in Morristown resulted in Rizos being ordered to remain in custody pending trial. Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Critchley ruled that the evidence found in the home posed “grave risks” to the community.
If convicted on all three federal counts, Rizos faces a maximum of over 20 years in prison and up to $600,000 in fines. The unlawful receipt and possession of plastic explosives counts each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years, while the unlawful storage count carries a maximum of one year.
The investigation was led by the Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The New Jersey State Police, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and Morris County Prosecutor’s Office also assisted.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Smith and Vincent D. Romano.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and Rizos is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.