A man who allegedly used photos of President Joe Biden as a target for training has been arrested after FBI officials discovered more than 150 homemade explosive devices on his farm.
Federal agents arrested Brad Spafford outside his farm in Norfolk, Virginia, on December 17 after receiving a tip from a concerned neighbor that the suspect was stockpiling weapons and explosives.
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The investigation began early last year when a neighbor told investigators that Spafford, 36, lost three fingers on his right hand in 2021 while working with a homemade explosive device, according to an affidavit seen by The US Sun.
The neighbor, who previously worked as a law enforcement officer, said he saw Spafford carrying a 10-inch short-barreled rifle in 2023.
The suspect also told his neighbor that he was making about 50 rounds of ammunition a day, prosecutors said.
The neighbor told investigators that Spafford told him he and his friends were “preparing for something” he wouldn’t be able to do on his own, court papers said.
Read more in the American newspaper The Sun
Spafford, who had the NoLivesMatter logo on his backpack, believed “presidential assassinations are coming back” and used photos of Joe Biden as target practice at shooting ranges, court documents said.
The Department of Homeland Security defines No Lives Matter as an extremist ideology that encourages violence, criminal activity, and self-harm.
Weeks after the July 13 attempt to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Spafford told his neighbor that he “hopes the shooter doesn't miss Kamala.” [Harris]”.
When Spafford moved to his farm in Norfolk in the fall, his neighbor visited him in October and wore a secret recording device, according to the affidavit.
Spafford was allegedly recorded telling his neighbor that his short-barreled shotgun was unregistered because he “didn't believe in registration.”
The suspect said he had various types of explosives on his property and discussed fortifying it with a “360-degree tower” in which he planned to mount a .50-caliber rifle, prosecutors said.
“Explosives cache”
“In a conversation with his wife, who inquired about the defendant keeping a hazard-marked jar in the refrigerator within easy reach of her and their children, the defendant also stated that he had an HMTD, a basic explosive device that is very unstable and does not require the addition of an HMTD. “Any,” court documents said. Explosive materials.
“The defendant also told CHS [confidential human source] “He was carrying an ETN, which is a secondary explosive device.”
When federal agents executed a search warrant on Spafford's 20-acre farm in early December, they discovered what officials described as “the largest cache of homemade explosives in its history.”
“The FBI found not only the gun, but also an inventory of more than 150 improvised explosive devices, which were assessed as pipe bombs,” the affidavit said.
“Some of these devices were classified as ‘lethal.’” Most of the devices were found in a detached garage, where the FBI also found tools and manufacturing materials, including homemade valves and pieces of plastic pipe.
“Several additional pipe bombs were found in a backpack in the bedroom of the home, which was completely unsecured.”
Photographic evidence from the search showed that federal agents discovered a jar filled with HMTD in Spafford's refrigerator next to packages of Hot Pockets and corn on the cob.
“The agent found this jar unsecured next to the food items with handwritten signs indicating ‘dangerous’ and ‘do not touch,’” prosecutors said.
FBI agents said they also found a notebook in Spafford's home that contained a list of bombs and “recipes” for how to make explosives such as “HMTD, C-4 military explosive, and grenades.”
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“Anti-government extremist”
Spafford appeared in a Norfolk court on Monday after being charged with unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun.
During the nearly two-hour hearing, federal prosecutors described Spafford as an “anti-government extremist” and warned that he poses a danger to the community.
Spafford's defense attorney, Larry Woodward, refuted the prosecution's arguments, saying she had no knowledge of her client making any specific threats to any person or organization.
The defense attorney also said Spafford's neighbor, who reported him to investigators, never personally witnessed her client making or detonating any explosive devices, the Smithfield Times reported.
Federal Judge Lawrence Leonard set Spafford's bail at $25,000.
The judge agreed to release Spafford and place him in the custody of his mother, where he will be restrained and wear an electronic monitoring device.
Spafford also surrendered his passport.
It is not clear whether federal prosecutors will file additional charges against Spafford for the homemade explosives.
