Inmate threatened to blow up Myrtle Beach if demands weren’t met

A Myrtle Beach man, who was already in custody at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, is facing new charges after police say he mailed them a letter from jail, threatening to blow up parts of the city if specific demands were not met.

Forty-four-year-old Robert Harris was being held on charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, carjacking, armed robbery and possessing an explosive device for an incident last fall.

Myrtle Beach police visited his cell on Saturday with a new warrant, charging him with possessing or using a weapon of mass destruction in the furtherance of an act of terrorism.

On Thursday, Myrtle Beach police received a letter from someone threatening to detonate explosive devices allegedly placed in three locations throughout the city if specific demands were not met, according to a release from Lt. Joey Crosby of the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

The MBPD Crime Scene Unit was able to find a fingerprint on the letter which was traced back to Harris.

Harris remains in custody. His bail has been set at more than $400,000 for the prior charges.

Myrtle Beach police determined that the explosive devices did not exist.

This story was originally published January 7, 2017 at 6:46 PM with the headline "Inmate threatened to blow up Myrtle Beach if demands weren’t met."