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'We're scared about what he will do next' | Neighbors living in fear after man involved in SWAT stand-off released from jail

Jonathan Nance is out on bond, after being accused of setting a fire at a local business last month. However, the neighbor says Nance’s past goes much deeper.

PINEVILLE, North Carolina — A community is living in fear, after a neighbor with a disturbing history is released from jail.

43 year-old Jonathan Paul Nance was arrested following a standoff with SWAT last Thursday.  

RELATED: Arson suspect arrested in SWAT standoff in Pineville

Nance now faces a charge of possessing a weapon of mass destruction. Police allege that he set fire to a local business back in December, saying that’s when they found a homemade explosive device.

Now, court documents reveal other troubling events in his own neighborhood. 

“We’re scared about what he will do next,” said a neighbor, whom NBC Charlotte has decided not to name. 

Nance is out on bond, after being accused of setting a fire at a local business last month. However, the neighbor says Nance’s past goes much deeper.

“I’ve called the police on him numerous times,” she said.

Pineville Police said they’ve responded to Nance’s home 22 times in just the past year.   

Court documents describe neighbors hearing an explosion coming from outside his home on January 3, 2019.

“I heard the explosion and I’m multiple houses down, and I heard it from within my house,” the neighbor told NBC Charlotte.

Last week, police served a search warrant at Nance’s home in connection the business arson. 

Court documents show a day before that fire, someone matching Nance’s description had been looking for a child molester in a neighborhood near the business. Records describe that person handing out flyers and knocking on doors.

Nance is now facing several charges including possessing a weapon of mass destruction and first degree arson. He was booked into custody around 4:30 p.m. on Friday and released six hours later on a $105,000 bond.

“We were hopeful in his arrest last week that he would be behind bars for quite some time, and we were extremely surprised he was let out on bond so quickly,” said the neighbor.

Fortunately, no one has been injured so far.

“My worst fear is that one of my neighbors will get hurt severely, and only then will something serious happen to him,” the neighbor told NBC Charlotte.

NBC Charlotte found Nance also has previous charges in 2018 for stalking and resisting a police officer.

Pineville police say they can’t comment on details of the case, as it is an ongoing investigation.  

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