FAYETTEVILLE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A man was sentenced to prison on an explosives charge in relation to a 2021 incident in which he was found to be in possession of a pipe bomb.
Reports from the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of Fayette County indicate that Jesse Cline, 30, of Mt. Hope, was sentenced to no less than one and no more than ten years in prison for the felony offense of illegal possession of an explosive device on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.
Cline originally pled guilty to the offense on June 28, 2022, and must spend no less than one year in prison before becoming eligible for parole.
Sentencing was carried out by Circuit Judge Paul M. Blake, Jr., and the case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Sarah F. Smith.
The incident initially occurred on August 16, 2021, and saw authorities with the Mt. Hope Police Department happen upon Cline in the Mt. Hope area of Fayette County.
Here, he was found to be unconscious, and was eventually awoken by the officers after numerous attempts.
When questioned regarding whether he had anything illegal on his person, Cline responded in the negative and consented to a search when officers requested permission.
During the search, officers discovered a pipe bomb device in Cline’s backpack, which Cline purported simply to be a homemade firecracker.
Contact was made with the West Virginia State Police Bomb Squad, who were able to properly dispose of the device.
Cline had been convicted of Felony Grand Larceny prior to this incident.
Initial LOOTPRESS coverage of the arrest can be found here.