Avery County Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Making Destructive Device

Avery County Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Making Destructive Device

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – An Avery County man is going down for making a destructive device that’s designed to cause chaos and destruction. Thomas Dewey Taylor, Jr., a 45-year-old man from Newland, N.C., was sentenced to 97 months in prison for his crimes.

Taylor’s crimes started with him disabling the alarm system to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, Inc. (GMHG) office back in 2021. He then hid a destructive device in an office closet, which consisted of a 48-quart cooler housing fuses bundled together and tied to an electric burner hotplate. The fuses ran to fireworks and containers of ignitable liquids. The hotplate was plugged into an extension cord, which was plugged into an electrical receptacle in the closet.

But that’s not all – Taylor also had a glass pitcher with rocks and a PVC pipe bomb inside the cooler. Court records show that the device was constructed so it would ignite once someone turned on the main power breaker, resulting in an explosion designed to cause property damage, injury, and death to persons nearby.

Taylor, a former employee of GMHG, had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to damage and destroy a building used in interstate commerce by fire and explosive, possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act weapon, and making a destructive device.

U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger imposed Taylor’s sentence today in federal court. The sentence is the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI), and the Avery County Sheriff’s Office.

U.S. Attorney Dena J. King commended the ATF, the NC SBI, and the Avery County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work and dedication to bringing Taylor to justice.

Taylor remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending placement by the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott prosecuted the case.

The case is a stark reminder of the dangers of destructive devices and the importance of law enforcement working together to keep our communities safe.

Taylor’s sentence sends a clear message that making destructive devices and attempting to cause harm to others will not be tolerated. The citizens of North Carolina can rest a little easier knowing that Taylor is behind bars.

U.S. Attorney King added, “We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten the safety and security of our communities are held accountable for their actions.”

The investigation and prosecution of Taylor’s case is a testament to the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protecting the public and upholding the law.