Middletown BOE member arrested with multiple guns

🚨 Joseph Fitzgerald was found with unregistered guns in his vehicle

🚨 He was held at the county jail for over a week

🚨 The Republican has been suspended from all school activities

UPDATE: NJ school official took guns while going to 'take care of' his paramour's husband, cops say

MIDDLETOWN — A member of this township's Board of Education was arrested on his way to an "altercation" after police said they found illegal weapons in his car.

Middletown police said Joseph Fitzgerald, 47, was driving with an unregistered Ruger LCP pistol, a spring gun, and an impact stun gun shaped like brass knuckles when he was pulled over on June 30.

Police pulled him over because they had received a 911 call, officials said in an affidavit obtained by New Jersey 101.5.

Fitzgerald, a former U.S. Marine, was still being held Tuesday at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution. His detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

Middletown school district attorney William Burns said the school board was informed by the state Department of Education Office of Student Protection of the charges. The board immediately moved to disqualify Fitzgerald from all duties and designated him as "persona non grata."

"The board remains firmly committed to upholding the safety and well-being of our students, staff and community," Burns said in a written statement.

ALSO READ: Teen driver in souped up BMW urged to 'floor it' before killing couple

Joe Fitzgerald holds a campaign sign in 2022 (Joe Fitzgerald for BOE 2025 via Facebook)

School board politics in Middletown

Fitzgerald, who is married with three children, was elected in 2022 as a part of a statewide conservative family values movement sweeping seats on school boards. He is seeking re-election this year.

Fitzgerald was elected to office in 2022 with the support of school board leaders Jacqueline Tobacco and Frank Capone. He broke with them politically over plans to close three schools to close a budget gap created by a loss of state aid.

Fitzgerald founded the group Middletown Familes First to oppose the school closures.

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