Marion Man Charged After Explosive Device Found Across Roadway

A Marion man is facing multiple charges after deputies discovered what investigators say was a destructive explosive device positioned across a roadway in McDowell County.

According to the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Kyle Gibson has charged 52-year-old Joseph D. Cooper with three felony counts of Possession of a Weapon of Mass Destruction, felony Possession of a Firearm by Felon, and two misdemeanor charges — Resisting a Public Officer and Assaulting a Government Official. Cooper was issued a secured bond of $175,000.

Deputy Dvorak was performing a property check at a residence in Marion on Saturday, November 29, when he noticed several monofilament lines stretched across the road in front of the home. After stopping to investigate, deputies discovered the line was attached to a device aimed toward the roadway.

The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, along with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, later determined the device to be an explosive weapon.

Cooper was taken into custody without further incident. Authorities have not released additional details regarding motive or the intended target. The investigation remains ongoing.