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LOWER TOWNSHIP — An Arizona Avenue man was arrested after officers searched his home and found 27 guns, including an illegal assault rifle, ammunition, a switchblade, a blackjack and marijuana, police said Friday.

Joseph Boyle, 65, was in an ongoing dispute with the township about the condition of his property and had been accused of threatening or following township employees, police said.

Neighbors described Boyle as being “very eccentric,” and he has said he is suffering from the effects of Agent Orange as a result of his service in the Vietnam War, police said.

Township code-enforcement officers cited Boyle several times over the summer for violating the property-maintenance ordinance by leaving trash and debris in his front yard, police said. On Sept. 8, after a long case in Municipal Court, Boyle signed an agreement allowing the Department of Public Works to remove the debris in exchange for dismissing the charges.

Public Works employees removed three dump trucks full of trash and scrap metal from Boyle’s yard Sept. 8 and 9, police said. One neighbor told police she heard Boyle shouting in his front yard that he would “shoot the mayor,” police said.

After the mess was cleaned up, police began to get complaints from township employees that Boyle was following them around and trying to take pictures of their work vehicles, Chief Edward Donohue said. One female employee filed two harassment complaints, saying Boyle followed her to work.

One Public Works employee said Boyle asked him and his brother, “Aren’t you dead yet?” police said.

Donohue and Lt. Detective Thomas Keywood met with Boyle at police headquarters and warned him to stop all threatening and harassing behavior toward township workers, police said. Donohue had arranged for Boyle to get mental health counseling, but he declined the offer.

In the meantime, Boyle put junk vehicles and more trash in his front yard, and code-enforcement officers issued more summonses. Police said they also issued Boyle several motor vehicle summonses.

Department records show Boyle had bought at least eight legal handguns over the past 10 years, police said. A local resident recently told police that Boyle might also have assault weapons.

Police said they checked Boyle’s mental health history with the Veterans Administration and learned he made a false claim about his mental health last year when renewing his license to possess firearms.

Boyle was charged Wednesday with falsifying a firearms application and was arrested at his home, police said.

Police then got a warrant to search his house.

Lower Township detectives and officers from the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office searched Boyle’s house Wednesday evening and found 27 firearms, including several high-powered rifles with scopes, handguns and shotguns, police said. Included was a Colt AR15 rifle with pistol grip, optic scope and large-capacity magazine, which is an illegal weapon in New Jersey. They also found a switchblade, a blackjack and seven large-capacity magazines for ammunition.

Boyle was then charged with knowingly possessing an assault firearm without a license and possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, police said. All the weapons were confiscated.

The living conditions of Boyle’s home were deplorable, said Donohue, who was present during the search. The officers also removed four dogs from the house and notified the Fire Safety Bureau and the county Health Department.

Boyle was taken to the Cape May County Jail on $15,000 full cash bail set by municipal court Judge David DeWeese, who also ordered that if bail is posted, Boyle must have a mental health screening within five days.

Contact Elaine Rose:

609-272-7215

ERose@pressofac.com

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