An employee at a Middlesex County gentlemen’s club is facing charges after he was found inside the club armed and wearing body armor.

Authorities say that 32-year-old Kevin Smith was inside the Visions Gentlemen’s Club in the Melrose section of Sayreville, armed with an “AK-47-style” firearm, along with a loaded magazine for the weapon. Smith was also wearing a black tactical ballistic vest and helmet, according to police.

Officials also say that a second tactical vest and several loaded, “large capacity magazines” were found inside the manager’s office at the club.

Police say that investigators also recovered another rifle, over 1,000 rounds of ammunition and body armor from Smith’s Keyport home.

Officials say that Sayreville police initially received the call about an armed man inside the club around 4 p.m. Tuesday. Police say that they saw Smith exit the club, wearing his armor and gun, and drive away.

Officers stopped him a short time later near the Victory Bridge in Sayreville. Traffic on the bridge was diverted for a short time.

“This incident quickly unfolded and the decision not to immediately confront this individual was the right choice.  The restraint utilized by the responding officers defused a potentially tragic confrontation,” Sayreville Police Chief John Zebrowski said in a statement.

It was not immediately made clear why Smith was armed.

Smith faces several charges including unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of large capacity magazines and unlawful use of a body vest.