Pingyuan Township man charged for "following" social media videos

2021-12-13 19:13:01 By : Ms. Beaulin Zeng

Ordinary TWP. -Stark County Sheriff George Maier (George Maier) said that a 58-year-old man was accused of posting a “relevant” video on social media, leading authorities to believe that he might have created an explosive device and was arrested on Friday.

He said the police responded to the 3000 block of Northwest 24th Street at 4:17 pm after receiving a notice of suspicious activity.

Authorities said the Metro Narcotics Unit of the Stark County Sheriff’s Office, along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Guns and Explosives, and the FBI’s Safe Street Task Force, investigated suspicious social media posts.

The man was charged with two misdemeanors of aggravating threats, a misdemeanor count of causing panic, and a felony count of illegal use or possession of a hoax weapon of mass destruction.

The arrest report accused the man of posting a video on social media that showed several items used to make bombs and "a tubular bomb tied to a remote-controlled car with a few wires and a circuit board." The report accused the man of trying to intimidate people. And he also "pointed out what the agents thought was a pistol."

The man was imprisoned in Stark County Jail.

FBI, ATF, Canton Co-op SWAT Team, Canton Vice Unit and Summit County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad assisted representatives on site

The case is still under investigation. The Sheriff’s Office requires anyone with information to call 330-430-3800.