Federal agents recently made a significant discovery when they arrested a Virginia man on a firearms charge. During the arrest, investigators found one of the largest stockpiles of homemade explosives ever seized. The man's home, located northwest of Norfolk, was searched in December, leading to the confiscation of over 150 pipe bombs and other homemade devices. This seizure is believed to be the largest in FBI history in terms of the number of finished explosive devices.
The majority of the bombs were discovered in a detached garage on the property, along with various bomb-making materials such as fuses and plastic pipe pieces. Additionally, several apparent pipe bombs were found in a backpack inside the home's bedroom, raising concerns as they were left unsecured in a residence shared by the man, his wife, and their two young children.
The 36-year-old man, identified as Spafford, was initially charged with possession of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act for owning an unregistered short barrel rifle. Prosecutors indicated that he could face additional charges related to the explosives found on the property.
Despite the significant findings, defense attorneys have argued that there is no evidence suggesting Spafford was planning any violent acts. They highlighted his lack of a criminal record and questioned the usability of the explosive devices, noting that professional technicians had to rig them for detonation.
The investigation into Spafford began in 2023 after an informant reported his stockpiling of weapons and ammunition. The informant, described as a friend, mentioned an incident in 2021 where Spafford injured his hand while working on homemade explosives, resulting in the loss of two fingers on his right hand. The informant also claimed that Spafford used images of the President for target practice and expressed support for political assassinations.
Following a search of the property on December 17, law enforcement officers and bomb technicians located the rifle and explosive devices, some of which were labeled as 'lethal' and loaded into a wearable vest. Due to safety concerns, most of the devices were detonated on-site, with a few retained for further analysis.
At a recent hearing, a federal Magistrate Judge ruled that Spafford could be released into house arrest at his mother's residence but opted to keep him detained pending additional arguments from the government. Prosecutors reiterated their belief in Spafford's potential danger, citing his possession of lethal devices, riot gear, and expressed interest in political assassinations.
