Ex-East Brunswick candidate threatens to 'light up' town council

🔴David Herrera believed the East Brunswick council election was stolen from him

🔴The FBI went to talk to him and found rifle magazines at his home

🔴The magazines are not legal to own or possess in New Jersey

EAST BRUNSWICK — A former candidate for the township council who threatened the mayor and Township Council was charged with possessing high-capacity rifle magazines at his home.

The FBI began an investigation on Feb. 15 into David Herrera, 32, after the agency was tipped off online about a conversation with a co-worker about Herrera's belief that the November election for township council he lost was "stolen from him."

Herrera told the co-worker he wanted to "light them all up," referring to the current members and Mayor Brad Cohen, according to the affidavit in the case. The co-worker tipped the FBI off to the conversation.

Herrera received the most votes among the Republican candidates but finished fourth behind the three Democrats who won the three-seat race.

When East Brunswick police went to his Cosgrove Street home to talk, detectives saw two 25-round high-capacity rifle magazines in clear plastic bags on the porch.

The officers obtained a warrant and found another 15 magazines inside each with 25 rounds. Under New Jersey law the rifle magazines are illegal to own. Magazines are limited to just 10 rounds.

Herrera was charged with fourth-degree crime of possessing a large-capacity ammunition magazine after a total of 17 large-capacity ammunition magazines were found at his house, according to the affidavit in the case.

Herrera was released on his own recognizance, according to East Brunswick police.

David Herrera on Halloween 2022 (David Herrera for East Brunswick Council)

'The Brunswick Batman'

The owner of El Toro Loco in South Plainfield told TAP into East Brunswick Herrera was fired from his job as a manager because of a weekly political podcast called ReviveAmerica.

Because of the podcast's "controversial/radical views" the owner said the restaurant wanted to "completely disassociate" from Herrera.

On his campaign Facebook page Herrera calls himself the "Brunswick Batman" in post after the election and said "this fight is a long way from being over."

A photo on the page includes a meme of Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscar awards captioned "EB Town Council voting on more fiscal irresponsibility" adding a note on the caption that he does not condone violence.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This version of the story clarifies that three Democratic candidates got more votes than Herrera.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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