FBI finds 150 pipe bombs in Virginia home

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — 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 filing by federal prosecutors.

Investigators seized more than 150 pipe bombs and other homemade devices during a search of Brad Spafford’s northwest Norfolk home in December, prosecutors said in a motion filed Monday. Prosecutors wrote that it was “the largest seizure in terms of 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, along with bomb-making tools and materials, including fuses and pieces of plastic pipe, according to court documents . Prosecutors also wrote: “Several other apparent pipe bombs were found in a backpack in the bedroom of the completely unsecured home,” in the home he shares with his wife and two young children.

Spafford, 36, was charged with possession of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act. Law enforcement says he had an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. Prosecutors said he faces “numerous additional potential charges” related to the explosives.

Defense attorneys argued in a motion Tuesday that authorities failed to produce evidence that he was planning violence, also noting that he had no criminal record. Additionally, they question whether the explosive devices were usable because “professionally trained explosives technicians had to rig the devices to detonate them.”

“There is not a shred of evidence in the record that Mr. Spafford ever threatened anyone and the assertion that anyone could be in danger because of his political views and comments is absurd,” they said. wrote the defense lawyers.

Messages were left Wednesday seeking additional comment from the defense attorneys who signed the motion, Lawrence Woodward and Jerry Swartz.

The investigation began in 2023 when an informant told authorities that Spafford was storing guns and ammunition, according to court documents. The informant, a friend, told authorities that Spafford disfigured his hand in 2021 while working on homemade explosives. Prosecutors said he had only two fingers on his right hand. The informant told authorities that Spafford was using photos of the president, an apparent reference to President Joe Biden, for target practice and that “he believed political assassinations should be brought back,” prosecutors wrote.

Numerous law enforcement officers and bomb technicians searched the property on December 17. Officers located the rifle and explosive devices, some of which were hand-labeled as “lethal” and others of which were loaded in a wearable vest, according to court documents. State. Technicians detonated most of the devices on site because they were deemed unsafe to transport, although several were kept for analysis.

At a hearing Tuesday, federal Judge Lawrence Leonard determined that Spafford could be placed under house arrest at his mother’s home, but agreed to keep him in custody while the government made further arguments.

In response, prosecutors reiterated why they believed Spafford was dangerous, writing that “although he is not known to have engaged in apparent violence, he certainly expressed interest in the same, through his manufacturing papal bombs marked “lethal,” his possession of riot gear and a vest loaded with pipe bombs, his support for political assassinations, and the use of the president’s photos for target practice.