On Tuesday March 3, 2020 at 8:31 am Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a Bomb Threat from the Caldwell County Clerk of Courts Office. The report was made to Deputies with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office after a member of the Caldwell County Clerk of Courts Office received a call from an unknown caller indicating that that a Bomb was on Caldwell County Court House property. The Caldwell County Courthouse property was subsequently searched by member of the Caldwell County Sheriff Office and Lenoir Police Department. An explosives detection dog was also utilized during the search. The search of the Court House did not reveal any explosive devices and the court resumed normal function.
Investigators with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office along with the assistance of The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation followed up on the threat made to the Court House and were able to develop Raymond Allen Mathis, age 31, as a suspect in the case. Deputies with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office at 1:40 pm conducted a vehicle stop on Cajah’s Mountain Road with Raymond Mathis and placed him under arrest Driving While License Revoked. Mathis was search incident to arrest and checks belonging to other individuals were located in his possession along with a small bag a Methamphetamine that was located behind the cover of his Phone. The phone that was found in the possession of Raymond Allen Mathis was the phone that was used to call in the Bomb threat. Investigators were able to determine that Mathis was scheduled to appear in District Court prior to the Threat being made to the court house.
Raymond Allen Mathis, age 31, was arrested and charged with Driving while License Revoked, Larceny of Chose in Action, Forgery of Endorsement, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Making a False Bomb Report to a Public Building. He was placed in the Caldwell County Detention Center under a $255,000.00 secured bond. His first appearance is scheduled for 03/04/2020.