Charlotte FAA worker accused of possessing pipe bomb released from jail Saturday

An FAA employee at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and another man accused of possessing a weapon of mass destruction were released from jail Saturday morning, records show. That weapon was a homemade pipe bomb, authorities said.

Paul George Dandan, the 30-year-old FAA employee, was arrested along with Derrick Fells, 39, on Friday night. Dandan was being held on $45,000 bond, while Fells’ bond was $60,000.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Fells had created a pipe bomb that he intended to use on a neighbor whom he was feuding with. Fells changed his mind about using the weapon, and gave it to Dandan, according to police, who began investigating the case Nov. 3. TV stations WCNC and WSOC reported that the two were roommates.

Dandan was charged with possession, acquiring and transporting a weapon of mass destruction, while Fells was charged with three counts of manufacturing a weapon of mass destruction and one count of possession of such a weapon.

The two men were released from Mecklenburg County Jail early Saturday — Fells shortly after 2 a.m. and Dandan shortly before 9 a.m. — according to the Mecklenburg County Jail website.

Dandan has worked for the FAA since March 2012, the agency told the Observer Saturday. He had access to the airport’s air traffic control tower, but the airport said he had no access to restricted areas of the terminal or ramp, nor did he have access to any aircraft. The FAA has terminated Dandan’s access to the facility.

In 2015, Dandan was charged with and pleaded guilty to assault on a female, court records show. He was sentenced to a year of probation.

This story was originally published November 11, 2017 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Charlotte FAA worker accused of possessing pipe bomb released from jail Saturday."