Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents uncovered one of the largest stockpiles of homemade explosives they have ever found when they captured a Virginia individual on a firearms indictment, reports US federal prosecutors. Operatives seized more than 150 pipe bombs and other homemade instruments when they scoured the house of Brad Spafford northwest of Norfolk in December 2024, the prosecutors stated. The prosecutors noted that this is considered to be “the largest seizure by a number of finished explosive devices in FBI history,” as reported by Fox News.
According to court documents, the majority of the bombs were discovered in a detached shed in Isle of Wight County, along with devices and bomb-making contents, including parts of plastic pipe and fuses. The prosecutors also noted: “Several additional alleged pipe bombs were found in a bag in the home’s bedroom, totally unsecured,” in the house he shares with his spouse and two young kids. A suspect named Spafford, aged 36, was indicted with occupancy of a firearm in breach of the National Firearms Act.
Law enforcement officials allege he possessed an unregistered short-barrel rifle. Prosecutors stated that he confronts “multiple additional possible charges” linked to the explosives. Defence attorneys contended in a motion that authorities haven’t provided proof that he was plotting violence, also stating that he holds no criminal record. Additionally, they examine whether the explosive instruments were functional because “professionally trained explosive technicians had to fit the devices to explode them.”
“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,” the defence lawyers wrote. Messages were left Wednesday seeking further comment from the defence lawyers who marked the motion, Lawrence Woodward and Jerry Swartz.
The probe started in 2023 when an informer informed authorities that Spafford was collecting weapons and explosives, according to court documents. The informer, a companion, informed authorities Spafford had impaired his hand in 2021 while functioning on homemade explosives. Prosecutors expressed he only carries two fingers on his right hand. The informer told authorities that Spafford was utilising images of the president, an apparent connection to President Joe Biden, for target training and that “he considered political assassinations should be brought back,” prosecutors noted.
Multiple law enforcement officials and bomb technicians scoured the belongings on Dec. 17. The agencies found the rifle and the explosive instruments, some of which had been hand-marked as “lethal” and some of which were packed into a wearable vest, court documents noted. Operatives detonated most of the machines on location because they were considered dangerous to transport, though several were retained for examination. Federal Magistrate Judge Lawrence Leonard decided that Spafford could be discharged into house detention at his mother’s home but arranged to keep him confined while the government filed further statements.
In reaction, prosecutors restated why they believe Spafford is harmful, noting that “while he is not known to have committed in any apparent brutality, he has certainly voiced interest in the same, through his development of pipe bombs labelled ‘lethal,’ his control of riot gear and a vest packed with pipe bombs, his backing for political assassinations and usage of the pictures of the President for target training.”
The FBI, besides the seizure of a recent bomb in Virginia, has had quite a number of very prominent cases over the last year. With international law enforcement, the FBI carried out a series of operations targeting an organised crime syndicate that trafficked large amounts of drugs throughout North America. Because this operation covered multiple countries and their respective enforcement agencies, this became an international operation. At the same time, it showed that the FBI still does have a significant commitment to its work against drugs.
