FBI seizes 150 homemade pipe bombs at Virginia man's property

The FBI seized more than 150 homemade pipe bombs at a 20-acre Virginia residence last month. Brad Spafford, 36, of Norfolk, was arrested earlier this month on unlawful weapons charges. Prosecutors said in court filings that this is believed to be "the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history."

The FBI launched an investigation into Spafford after his neighbor reported that he was allegedly stockpiling weapons and homemade ammunition on his property. Federal agents executed a search warrant in December and found a stockpile of more than 150 apparent pipe bombs, which were x-rayed on the scene, according to prosecutors.

The pipe bombs were found in a backpack in a detached garage, and had been "preloaded into an apparent wearable vest." Some of the explosives were marked "lethal," CNN reported. In 2021, Spafford lost three fingers on his right hand while working with one of his homemade explosive devices, court filings show.
 

Spafford was taken into custody and charged with one count of possession of an unlawful firearm. Prosecutors urged the judge to keep him in custody after Spafford's attorneys filed a motion for his release. According to court documents, Spafford used photographs of President Joe Biden for target practice, expressed support for political assassinations, and recently sought to obtain a sniper rifle shooting certification at a local range. After the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July, Spafford allegedly told his neighbor that he hoped the shooter didn't miss Kamala Harris, per court filings.

Spafford's attorneys stated that "professionally trained explosive technicians had to rig the devices to explode them," and that the court had no evidence that their client knew how to detonate the devices.

"The government argues that Mr. Spafford should be detained because he poses a danger to the community in spite of the fact that the government has been investigating and carefully watching Mr. Spafford for approximately two years through the use of a confidential human source who was a friend and confidant of Mr. Spafford," his attorneys wrote in the motion. "During all of that time, there is no evidence or allegation that Mr. Spafford committed or attempted to commit any act of violence."

Court records show that Spafford does not have a prior criminal history. Law enforcement officers alleged that he owned an unregistered short-barrel rifle, which is the charge that he was taken into custody on. However, prosecutors said that Spafford faces several additional potential charges related to the explosive devices, AP reported.