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$1 million bail for doctor in Ridgewood explosives raid

UPDATE: Authorities found a “highly volatile chemical used for bomb-making,” along with assault rifles and other weapons, in the apartment of a Ridgewood physician who they arrested last night on weapons and explosives possession charges following a raid involving several agencies, including the FBI.

Photo Credit: Roberto Rivera, left, Bloomberg, and Hazmat vehicle outside his Ridgewood home, Boyd A. Loving
Photo Credit: Roberto Rivera, left, Bloomberg, and Hazmat vehicle outside his Ridgewood home, Boyd A. Loving
Jerry DeMarco
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  • YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: New details emerged today in the case of a Ridgewood physician found with explosive chemicals and weapons in his house, amid word that his license was temporarily suspended by the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners. READ MORE….

Dr. Robert Rivera was being held on $1 million bail in the Bergen County Jail on charges that include possession of a destructive device, creating a risk of widespread injury or damage and possession of an assault firearms and a stun gun.

PHOTOS, here and above, right, by Boyd A. Loving

He was taken into custody around 6:15 p.m. Friday after a search of his home turned up “several other precursor chemicals commonly used in the making of explosive devices,” along with the primary chemical, Molinelli said.

A search warrant was obtained after FBI agents and members of the Bergen County Bomb Squad removed the chemicals, after which the firearms were found, the prosecutor said.

  • CLIFFVIEW PILOT exclusively reported that authorities feared domestic terrorism after learning of the storehouse of chemicals. They raided Rivera’s home after he confided to someone that he was concerned what effect a power outage from Hurricane Sandy would have on explosive chemicals he’d allegedly been refrigerating, a source told the website earlier today. SEE: Ridgewood explosives raid could involve ‘domestic terrorism’

The investigation included investigators from his office, members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Ridgewood police, the Bergen County Police Department Bomb Squad and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The probe is continuing of Rivera, a Yonkers internist whom Molinelli said hadn’t been working recently (TOP PHOTOS: Roberto Rivera, left, Bloomberg, and Hazmat vehicle outside his Ridgewood home, Boyd A. Loving).

He is charged with:

  • Recklessly Creating a Risk of Widespread Injury or Damage; Failure to Mitigate Against Recklessly Creating a Risk of Widespread Injury or Damage;
  • Unlawful Possession of a Destructive Device;
  • Possession of a Stun Gun;
  • Possession of a Large Capacity Ammunition Magazine;
  • Possession of an Assault Firearm.

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