A Marion man faces multiple charges after deputies discovered an explosive device aimed toward a roadway during a routine property check.
Detective Kyle Gibson with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office charged 52-year-old Joseph D. Cooper of Marion with three counts of felony Possession of a Weapon of Mass Destruction, felony Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, misdemeanor Resisting a Public Officer, and misdemeanor Assaulting a Government Official. Cooper received a $175,000 secured bond.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on Saturday, November 29, when Deputy Dvorak was performing a property check at Cooper’s residence. During the check, the deputy noticed several monofilament strands stretched across the roadway in front of the home. The lines were found to be connected to a device positioned and pointed toward the road.
The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Following examination, authorities determined the device to be a destructive explosive device.
The investigation remains ongoing.
