More than 150 pipe bombs found in home during what could be FBI’s largest seizure of homemade explosives ever

ISLE OF WIGHT, Virginia (WDBJ/Gray News) – The FBI seized the largest cache of homemade explosives in its history from a Virginia home, according to recently released court documents.

More than 150 explosive devices, generally characterized as pipe bombs, were found last month in a house and garage on a 20-acre farm on the Isle of Wight, according to the documents.

Prosecutors say the discovery was made while investigators were serving a search warrant for an unregistered short-barreled rifle believed to be in the possession of the suspect, identified as Brad Spafford.

Spafford was arrested on December 17.

Along with the explosives, investigators reportedly found bomb-making materials, such as fuses, pieces of PVC pipe and a bottle of “HMTD,” a highly volatile explosive material, inside a freezer next to the food.

Agents also found extensive lists of explosives and “recipes” for making them, prosecutors said.

In an argument for keeping Spafford detained, prosecutors wrote: “The defendant has used photographs of the president as target practice, has expressed support for political assassinations, and has recently sought qualifications to shoot sniper rifles in a field.” local shooting.”

Authorities say the investigation began in early 2023 when a confidential source reported that Spafford had disfigured his hand while working with a homemade explosive device. The source also told investigators that Spafford was storing homemade weapons and ammunition, had explosive devices and discussed “fortifying” his home with a 360-degree tower for a .50-caliber firearm on the roof.

The source also reported that Spafford “stated that he believed political assassinations should come back, and that the federal government had taken missing children in the news to train them as school shooters.”

After the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, the defendant allegedly stated that he hoped the shooter wouldn’t miss “Kamala.”

In arguing for his release, Spafford’s attorneys wrote in court papers that prosecutors provided no evidence that Spafford used the gun that was the subject of the original search warrant. They also discussed Spafford’s family and community ties, adding that there was “no evidence” that he planned to use the explosives or even had the means to do so.

“There was no evidence that Mr. Spafford did anything other than make some reckless comments about the government and political leaders that are not illegal and are protected by the First Amendment. Using the image of a political leader as a target at a shooting range is common practice and not a reason to imprison someone. “The United States’ position that Mr. Spafford is a danger is pure speculation and scaremongering,” Spafford’s attorney wrote in a court filing.

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