WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | NJ man in bond court on weapons charges

NJ man in bond court on weapons charges

ORANGEBURG, SC (WIS) - A New Jersey man arrested Tuesday in Orangeburg on weapons charged was in bond court on Wednesday.

Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams says Mark Carron of New Jersey is "the real McCoy" -- that is to say, Carron's IEDs were live and extremely dangerous. The homemade bombs have been used to kill hundreds of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Williams said deputies got a tip that an out-of-state person had guns and explosives, and began searching for an older-model Ford van Monday evening.

Deputies stopped Carron's vehicle Tuesday morning on Highway 301 in Orangeburg for driving left-of-center. Williams said Carron had a shotgun in the front seat, and several assault rifles and the IEDs in the backseat.

Carron was carrying three different driver's licenses, accotding to Williams, so it took several hours for deputies to determine his true identity. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms safely detonated the IEDs near where the traffic stop took place.

About five miles away from the traffic stop, law enforcement officers searched rooms at the Slumberland Motel. The motel manager said authorities were searching Carron's room, and that he had been staying at the motel for a few days.

According to the manager, authorities said one weapon was found in the room.

Adding to the confusion, the motel manager said Carron claimed to be a retired law enforcement officer and was wearing some sort of badge. His driver's license said he was from Texas, but he was driving a vehicle with Florida tags.

Williams said investigators have no clue why Carron ended up in Orangeburg, and he has no family or connections they can find in the area.

According to Sheriff Williams, three additional arrest warrants have been obtained for Carron for possession of a sawed off shotgun, unlawful possession of firearms by a person convicted of a violent crime, and possession, manufacture, and transporting of destructive devices, explosive, and parts for damage, or to cause injury or death.

Federal charges are pending against Carron, but Williams did not list exact charges.

In addition to the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the FBI and SLED are all involved in the investigation.

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