Federal agents discovered one of the largest stockpiles of homemade explosives they had ever seized when they arrested a Virginia man on a firearms charge last month, according to a court filing by federal prosecutors.
Investigators confiscated more than 150 pipe bombs and other improvised devices during a search of Brad Spafford’s home northwest of Norfolk in December, prosecutors stated in a motion filed on Monday.
Prosecutors wrote that this is believed to be “the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history”.
Most of the bombs were found in a detached garage at the Isle of Wight County home, alongside tools and bomb-making materials, including fuses and pieces of plastic pipe, according to court documents.
Prosecutors also wrote: “Several additional apparent pipe bombs were found in a backpack in the home’s bedroom, completely unsecured,” referring to the residence Mr Spafford shares with his wife and two young children.
Mr Spafford, aged 36, was charged with possession of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act. Law enforcement officers allege he owned an unregistered short-barrelled rifle.
Prosecutors stated that he faces “numerous additional potential charges” connected to the explosives.
Defence lawyers argued in a motion on Tuesday that authorities have not produced evidence suggesting he was planning violence, also noting that he has no criminal record.
Additionally, they questioned whether the explosive devices were operable, claiming that “professionally trained explosive technicians had to rig the devices to explode them”.
Defence lawyers Lawrence Woodward and Jerry Swartz, wrote:“There is not a shred of evidence in the record that Mr Spafford ever threatened anyone, and the contention that someone might be in danger because of their political views and comments is nonsensical.”
Messages seeking further comment were left on Wednesday for Mr Woodward and Mr Swartz, who signed the motion.
The investigation began in 2023 when an informant told authorities that Mr Spafford was stockpiling weapons and ammunition, according to court documents. The informant, a friend, reported that Mr Spafford had disfigured his hand in 2021 while working on homemade explosives.
Prosecutors noted he now has only two fingers on his right hand. The informant also alleged that Mr Spafford was using pictures of the president, referring to President Joe Biden, for target practice and that “he believed political assassinations should be brought back,” according to prosecutors.
Numerous law enforcement officers and bomb technicians searched the property on December 17. Agents found the rifle and explosive devices, some of which were labelled “lethal” by hand, while others had been loaded into a wearable vest, court documents state.
Technicians detonated most of the devices on-site as they were deemed unsafe to transport, though some were retained for analysis.
At a hearing on Tuesday, federal Magistrate Judge Lawrence Leonard ruled that Mr Spafford could be released under house arrest at his mother’s home but agreed to keep him in detention while the government submits further arguments.
In response, prosecutors reiterated their belief that Mr Spafford is dangerous, writing that “while he is not known to have engaged in any apparent violence, he has certainly expressed interest in the same, through his manufacture of pipe bombs marked ‘lethal,’ his possession of riot gear and a vest loaded with pipe bombs, his support for political assassinations and use of the pictures of the President for target practice.”
The announcement comes at a time of soaring tensions after apparent terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas – although there is no suggestion of a link between either and the Virginia raid.