Federal agents uncovered one of the largest homemade explosive stockpiles they’ve ever found when they arrested a Virginia man on a firearms charge, according to new court documents.
Brad Spafford, 36, was arrested in December after investigators found more than 150 pipe bombs and other homemade explosive devices at his home, located just northwest of Norfolk. The FBI believes this seizure could be the largest of its kind in history, based on the number of finished explosive devices. Most of the bombs were discovered in a detached garage on his property in Isle of Wight County, along with bomb-making materials like fuses and plastic pipes.
There were also bombs found in a backpack in his bedroom, which he shares with his wife and two young children—completely unsecured, court filings state.
Spafford was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm—a short-barreled rifle—and prosecutors say he could face “numerous additional charges” related to the explosives. However, his defense team has argued that there’s no evidence he was planning violence and pointed out that he has no criminal record. They also questioned whether the bombs were actually functional, given that “professionally trained explosive technicians had to rig the devices to explode them.”
“There’s not a shred of evidence that Mr. Spafford ever threatened anyone,” his defense attorneys wrote. “The claim that someone might be in danger because of political views is nonsensical.”
The investigation began in 2023, when a friend of Spafford’s tipped off authorities. The informant told investigators that Spafford had been stockpiling weapons and ammo, and had even disfigured his hand while working on homemade explosives in 2021. He now has only two fingers on his right hand. The informant also mentioned that Spafford had been using photos of the president—likely referring to President Joe Biden—as targets for practice and had expressed that political assassinations should be brought back.
On December 17, law enforcement and bomb technicians swarmed Spafford’s property. They not only found the rifle but also some of the bombs labeled as “lethal,” as well as several devices loaded into a wearable vest. Many of the devices were detonated on-site because they were too dangerous to move, though a few were kept for analysis.
A judge ruled that Spafford could be released to house arrest at his mother’s home. However, he remains detained as the government continues to file its case.
