An Ohio man is facing federal charges after suspected destructive devices were found on Ohio River tugboats, authorities said.Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 42, of Marietta, Ohio, was charged Thursday in a federal criminal complaint with possession of one or more unregistered destructive devices. Federal prosecutors said Becker was arrested Wednesday in Marietta. Becker is accused of buying pipes and other components of the devices from a Lowe's store on four occasions. Law enforcement officers recovered suspected destructive devices from two tugboats on Monday and on Oct. 21. Authorities believe the devices were dropped from a bridge, the complaint said.Authorities traced the devices' components to a Marietta Lowe's store and were able to identify the suspect's vehicle through surveillance video, the complaint said. Police spotted Becker's SUV near the same store and arrested him. Becker was being held without bond in a Charleston jail. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on the charge.The devices were found within a week, West Virginia State Police say, the first of which was discovered Oct. 21 near Marietta, Ohio. That first device was described by officials as a homemade explosive, which was found on a barge carrying gravel, our partners at WTAP report.Days later, a bomb squad was called to a portion of the river near Williamsburg, West Virginia, removing two "potentially explosive" devices from a tug boat, officials report.Then on Tuesday, authorities were called to the Ohio River near Muskingum Island for reports of yet another suspicious device — this one described as "pipe-bomb-like" and possibly a "hoax device." State officials said the device was discovered near the head of the tugboat, which was moving barges carrying an unknown product.No injuries were reported in any of the three cases.
An Ohio man is facing federal charges after suspected destructive devices were found on Ohio River tugboats, authorities said.
Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 42, of Marietta, Ohio, was charged Thursday in a federal criminal complaint with possession of one or more unregistered destructive devices. Federal prosecutors said Becker was arrested Wednesday in Marietta.
Becker is accused of buying pipes and other components of the devices from a Lowe's store on four occasions. Law enforcement officers recovered suspected destructive devices from two tugboats on Monday and on Oct. 21. Authorities believe the devices were dropped from a bridge, the complaint said.
Authorities traced the devices' components to a Marietta Lowe's store and were able to identify the suspect's vehicle through surveillance video, the complaint said. Police spotted Becker's SUV near the same store and arrested him.
Becker was being held without bond in a Charleston jail. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on the charge.
The devices were found within a week, West Virginia State Police say, the first of which was discovered Oct. 21 near Marietta, Ohio. That first device was described by officials as a homemade explosive, which was found on a barge carrying gravel, our partners at WTAP report.
Days later, a bomb squad was called to a portion of the river near Williamsburg, West Virginia, removing two "potentially explosive" devices from a tug boat, officials report.
Then on Tuesday, authorities were called to the Ohio River near Muskingum Island for reports of yet another suspicious device — this one described as "pipe-bomb-like" and possibly a "hoax device." State officials said the device was discovered near the head of the tugboat, which was moving barges carrying an unknown product.
No injuries were reported in any of the three cases.
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