FBI seizes ‘150 pipe bombs’ in largest bust in history

The US Department of Justice is fighting against the release of a 36-year-old Virginia man whose home was raided in mid-December, resulting in what federal prosecutors have described as the “largest seizure of homemade explosives in FBI history.”

Federal agents arrested Brad Spafford at his farm in Smithfield, about 29 miles northwest of Norfolk, on December 17, following a raid based on a criminal complaint alleging he was in possession of an unregistered short-barrel rifle.

During a search of his property, FBI agents found a stockpile of explosives, some marked as “lethal,” primarily stored in a detached garage, while several were allegedly “preloaded into an apparent wearable vest.” Additional devices were discovered in a backpack in his bedroom, which bore a hand grenade patch and the phrase “#NoLivesMatter.”

In recent court filings and testimonies, a detective assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) told a federal judge that Spafford harbored anti-government beliefs and expressed a desire to “bring back political assassinations,” according to Court Watch.

Court documents revealed that Spafford also kept a jar labeled “Dangerous” and “Do Not Touch” in his freezer, allegedly containing unstable explosive material. Counterterrorism agents found a notebook with bomb-making recipes.

Prosecutors also noted that Spafford used images of President Joe Biden for target practice and expressed support for political assassinations. Following the July assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Spafford allegedly remarked to an informant, “Bro, I hope they don’t miss Kamala.”

The investigation began in 2021 when an informant reported to the authorities that Spafford had disfigured his hand while working with a homemade explosive device and alleged that Spafford was stockpiling weapons and ammunition.

Spafford's attorneys argued on Tuesday that their client should not be detained because he has no criminal record, and if there is any evidence he had ever used the rifle in question, prosecutors would charge him with more than just a single count of possession of an illegal firearm. They also claimed there was no proof the explosives were ready-made, since professionally trained bomb technicians had to rig the devices to detonate them on-site.

The defense further argued that using images of political leaders for target practice is “common” and protected by the First Amendment.

“The government argues that Mr. Spafford should be detained because he poses a danger to the community, despite the fact that the government has been investigating and carefully monitoring Mr. Spafford for approximately two years through a confidential human source who was a friend and confidant of Mr. Spafford,” his attorneys wrote. “During all that time, there is no evidence or allegation that Mr. Spafford committed or attempted to commit any act of violence.”

Despite these arguments, prosecutors contend that Spafford poses an “extreme danger” to his family, community, and pretrial officers who would inspect his residence for firearms and explosives. The judge initially set Spafford's bond at $25,000 but later stayed the order pending a government appeal.