Crime & Safety

Accused Ridgewood 'Bomb Doc' Plans to Represent Himself at Trial, Report Says

A November raid on Roberto Rivera's Union Street home found bomb-making materials, weapons and anarchy literature, according to prosecutors.

The Ridgewood doctor accused of hoarding bomb-making materials and a cache of firearms at his village apartment intends to represent himself at trial, according to a news report.

Roberto Rivera, 61, charged with causing risk of widespread damage and a host of weapons related charges, told Superior Court Judge Edward Jerejian he would be declining to have the Bergen County Public Defender's Office represent him, according to northjersey.com.

Rivera was arrested in November of 2012 after federal, state and local authorities raided his Union Street home. They allegedly found nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, sulfuric acid, calcium hypochlorite and potassium perchlorate, thermite, detonators, as well as assault rifles, hand guns, a stun gun and disguises.

Prosecutors have not offered a motive for the alleged hoarding nor have they charged Rivera with plotting any attacks. The former Occupy Wall Street protester allegedly had anarchism and revolutionary literature inside the Union Street home.

He remains lodged in Bergen County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail. A trial date has not been set and prosecutors told northjersey.com they will not be making any plea offers at this time.


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