North Caldwell Man Charged With Transporting Explosives Without a Permit

A North Caldwell man was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with transporting a PVC pipe stuffed with explosives without a permit, according to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

Anthony Nicholas Gallo, 20, is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court Wednesday.

According to the complaint, Gallo traveled into Pennsylvania on Jan. 8, 2012 with a pipe containing potassium chlorate and magnesium with the plan of causing an explosion. The complaint states that Gallo never applied for the permit or license required by the U.S. Attorney General to transport the explosive materials.

Later that month, on Jan. 19, Gallo was admitted to the emergency room of a New Jersey hospital with burn injuries from a potassium chlorate explosion.

In February, the South Dakota university Gallo had been attending allegedly reported discovering various unidentifiable chemicals in his dorm room. The school was packing up the student’s belongings at the request of one of his parents when police say incendiary mixtures and materials were found in his room. 

Among the materials recovered were improvised thermite and red iron oxide, according to the complaint.

Gallo faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted of the charges.