Garner Church Bomb Suspect Also Charged With 15 Child Pornography Counts

Christopher Glenn McMullen, the 38-year-old Garner man already facing a weapon of mass destruction charge for allegedly leaving a PVC pipe bomb in The Capital Church parking lot, was hit with 15 additional counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor after investigators discovered child pornography in his possession.

Garner police filed the new counts on Friday. McMullen is being held at the Wake County Detention Center without bond on both the weapon charge and the child pornography charges, leaving him with no path to release as he faces court appearances on consecutive days this week: a Monday afternoon hearing on the exploitation counts and a Wednesday afternoon appearance in the church bomb case.

The pipe bomb allegation dates to a suspicious-item call at The Capital Church on U.S. 70 West in Garner. According to an arrest warrant, the device contained approximately 10 ounces of solid rocket fuel composed of potassium nitrate and sugar packed inside a PVC pipe. The bomb was found just before 7 a.m. on Dec. 27 and rendered safe without injuries or property damage. McMullen was arrested March 3 and initially charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, second-degree trespassing, and littering.

Garner Police Capt. David Casteline said in a statement that the church and its congregation were not the apparent target. "Currently, there is no ongoing threat to the public," Casteline said. "Investigators have found no evidence suggesting that Capital Church or its members were specifically targeted, and there is no reason to believe this incident was directed at the congregation."

The escalation from a bomb charge to 15 counts of child sexual exploitation marks a significant broadening of the case. Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor in North Carolina covers the possession of material depicting a minor engaged in sexual activity. The 15 separate counts suggest investigators found multiple items during their search.

Note: Reporting sources differ on the exact address of The Capital Church, citing either 1308 or 1408 U.S. 70 West, and on the date the suspicious device was first reported, with one account stating Dec. 27 and another Feb. 27. Both discrepancies are being pursued with the Garner Police Department for clarification.