A Virginia man was arrested after federal authorities found a cache of homemade explosive devices, some of which were marked “lethal,” in his home, marking the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in history. from the FBI, officials said.
Authorities detained Brad Spafford on Dec. 17 at a farm in Smithfield, about 29 miles northwest of Norfolk, and charged him with unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, according to court documents.
The FBI agent found the rifle along with “an arsenal of more than 150 homemade improvised explosive devices, evaluated as pipe bombs,” during a search of his home, an arrest memo says.
“Some of these devices were marked ‘lethal.’ Most of the devices were found in a detached garage, where the FBI also found tools and manufacturing materials, including homemade fuses and pieces of PVC pipe,” it says. “Several additional pipe bombs were found in a backpack in the bedroom of the home, completely unsecured.”
The phrase “#nolivesmatter” was written outside the backpack, prosecutors said. No Lives Matter follows an extremist ideology and promotes mass murder, criminal activity and targeted attacks and has historically encouraged its followers to self-harm or abuse animals, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness said.
The memo also states that Spafford lived at the home with two young children.
Spafford allegedly told authorities that he kept a vial of an explosive material in his freezer that is so unstable that it can explode as a result of friction from temperature changes, according to the document.
Photos in the court file showed a jar labeled “Dangerous” and “Do Not Touch” next to what appeared to be Hot Pockets and other foods in the freezer.
Prosecutors said Spafford used images of the president for target practice, “expressed support for political assassinations and recently sought qualifications in sniper rifle shooting at a local shooting range.”
They argued that his release represents an “extreme danger” to the people he lives with, the community and “the investigation officers who will be tasked with periodically inspecting his residence for firearms, including dangerous and unstable explosives,” it says. the memo.
An attorney for Spafford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The investigation into Spafford began last year when a source told authorities that Spafford had disfigured his hand while working with a homemade explosive device, authorities said.
The source also said Spafford was stockpiling homemade weapons and ammunition, according to court documents.
Spafford allegedly told the source that he makes about 50 rounds of ammunition a day.
