The FBI has arrested a Virginia man after discovering the largest cache of explosives recovered in the agency’s long history.
On December 17, FBI officials arrested Brad Spafford in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, after receiving a tip Spafford had a large stockpile of homemade explosives.
Spafford was originally arrested on “charges related to failing to register a short barrel rifle,” but upon further investigation at his residence, authorities discovered 150 explosive devices at his home.
The FBI in a statemnet shared, “Preliminarily assessed as the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history”.
The FBI found the largest cache of "finished explosive devices" in the bureau's history during the arrest of a Virginia man earlier this month. Investigators recovered "a stockpile of more than 150 homemade improvised explosive devices." https://t.co/xysXdrsbEn pic.twitter.com/b1l9cw2ijZ
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) December 31, 2024
Per BBC:
The FBI says it has discovered more than 150 bombs during a raid on a farm in Virginia – thought to be the largest such cache seized by the law-enforcement agency in its history.
ADVERTISEMENTBrad Spafford was arrested on 17 December in Isle of Wight County, 180 miles (290km) south of Washington DC, after a tip-off that he was stockpiling weapons and homemade ammunition on the property he shares with his wife and two young children.
Investigators say some of the devices were found in a bedroom in an unsecured backpack labelled “#nolivesmatter” – an apparent reference to a far-right, anti-government movement.
A lawyer for Mr Spafford denied he is a danger to the community and is seeking his client’s release from pre-trial detention.
The suspect has so far only been charged with possessing an unregistered short-barrelled rifle, though investigators say more charges are likely.
Investigators said on Tuesday that the bombs were “preliminarily assessed as the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history”.
A Virginia man was arrested this month with what federal prosecutors described in court papers on Monday as the largest cache of “finished explosive devices” ever found in the F.B.I.’s history. https://t.co/HCL7RRFXZ3
— Jamie Gangel (@jamiegangel) January 1, 2025
Here’s what The Hill reported:
The FBI arrested a Virginia man it says had the largest stockpile of explosives recovered in the agency’s history.
Brad Spafford was arrested earlier this month at his farm outside Norfolk on charges related to failing to register a short barrel rifle, but court documents posted Monday seeking to prevent his release outline broader concerns, including that he had more than 150 explosive devices stored at his home.
The filings outline that Spafford was found to have the devices stored in a barn on his property, including devices marked “lethal.” Pipe bombs were also found in a backpack in a bedroom otherwise completely “unsecured.” The FBI also found “recipes” for making explosives.
ADVERTISEMENTInvestigators also found hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, which the agency described as “an explosive material that is so unstable it can be exploded merely as a result of friction or temperature changes.”
“Agent found this jar found unsecured next to food items with handwritten labeling marking it as ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Do Not Touch,’” the filing states.
