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Man Charged After Bringing Bat into Newark Federal Building and Damaging Property
Keith Michael Lisa, 51, was detained after a multi-agency manhunt following an incident at the Peter Rodino Federal Building on November 12.
Federal authorities have charged a Barnegat, New Jersey man with bringing a dangerous weapon into a federal facility and damaging federal property during a disturbance at a government building in downtown Newark last week. Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced the arrest and charges on Monday.
Keith Michael Lisa, 51, was taken into custody and charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of a dangerous weapon in a federal facility and one count of depredation of federal property. He appeared in federal court in Newark before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte on November 17, 2025, and was ordered detained.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, Lisa entered the Peter W. Rodino Jr. Federal Building in Newark around 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12, carrying a full-sized aluminum baseball bat. Upon entry, he stated that he needed to visit the Attorney General’s Office. Federal security officers advised him that the bat constituted a prohibited weapon and could not be brought into the facility.
Lisa exited the building, returned a short time later without the bat, and proceeded through security. Witnesses reported that he appeared visibly agitated and was mumbling incoherently. He then entered the reception area of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he allegedly made verbal threats and caused damage by knocking framed objects off the walls.
After the incident, Lisa fled rather than surrendering to law enforcement. A coordinated search involving multiple agencies at the federal, state, and local levels ultimately led to his apprehension in the early morning hours of November 15, 2025.
The investigation and arrest were carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations in Newark and New York, Federal Protective Service, New Jersey State Police, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments of Mahwah and Barnegat.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari B. Fontecchio and Lauren Kober of the Newark Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Lisa faces federal charges that, if convicted, could result in prison time and additional penalties. As with all federal charges, the allegations remain accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
