Canton, Ohio – Sheriff George T. Maier reports that at 4:17 p.m. on 12/10/21, deputies responded to 3406 24TH Street NW in Plain Township in reference to a tip of suspicious activity. A resident of that location had posted concerning videos to social media causing deputies to be alerted that he may have been manufacturing explosive devices.
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office Metro Narcotics Unit, along with agents the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the F.B.I. Safe Streets Task Force and the conducted an investigation into the suspicious social media posts. During the execution of a search warrant at that residence, Joseph B. Rodd, 58, of Canton, was arrested on the following charges:
2 Counts Aggravated Menacing- misdemeanor 1
1 Count Inducing Panic- misdemeanor 1
1 Count Unlawful use or possession of a hoax weapon of mass destruction- felony 4
Stark County Sheriff’s Deputies were assisted at the scene by the F.B.I., A.T.F., Canton Co-op SWAT Team, Canton Vice Unit, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad
This case remains under investigation by the Stark County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office is requesting that anyone with information on this incident please contact them at (330) 430-3800.