A federal judge has granted bond to a Virginia man accused of holding extremist views and amassing what prosecutors say is the largest-ever cache of homemade explosives found by the FBI. The judge stayed the order pending government appeal.
Agents found the weapons, including more than 150 pipe bombs and explosive devices, during a 17 December raid on a 20-acre property in Isle of Wight county, according to court documents.
Authorities initially arrested the 36-year-old owner, Brad Spafford, on a single charge of possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle. But as bomb squads swept the property, they found explosive devices marked “lethal” in a detached garage, according to court documents. Inside the house, investigators discovered more pipe bombs packed into a backpack bearing a hand grenade patch and a logo for “#NoLivesMatter”, a slogan linked to a far-right extremist movement that promotes violent acts on encrypted online channels, according to a recent New Jersey homeland security assessment.
Many of the details in the case emerged during a 30 December bond hearing for Spafford, whose bail was initially set at $25,000 before an emergency stay pushed by prosecutors was secured.
According to the Smithfield Times, court testimony from the detective Rachelann Cardwell revealed that investigators found multiple components for manufacturing explosives, including HMTD, a highly volatile compound, stored in garage freezers. They also discovered a notebook containing recipes for military-grade explosives.
Court testimony also revealed that the investigation began after Spafford lost three fingers in a July 2021 explosion. A neighbor reported him to authorities, according to the Smithfield Times, describing conversations about “preparing for something” that Spafford said he “would not be able to do alone”.
Along with the firearms charges, federal prosecutors have indicated that additional charges may be forthcoming, each potentially carrying similar sentences. Spafford faces up to 10 years for the firearms charge alone.
