NORFOLK, Va. — A man from Virginia entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday in a federal case where he stands accused of amassing an unprecedented quantity of finished explosives, marking the highest recorded stockpile in FBI history. Additionally, he allegedly used an image of President Joe Biden for target practice.
Brad Spafford, age 36, appeared in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, restrained at the legs and wearing an orange jumpsuit. During the arraignment, he mostly responded to questions from the federal magistrate with brief “yes” and “no” answers. The primary focus of the proceedings was to establish a trial date, set for May 28, allowing sufficient time for the attorneys to meticulously review the extensive evidence present in the case.
Federal prosecutor Rebecca Gantt informed the court that authorities are still in the process of scrutinizing evidence related to the FBI’s seizure of about 150 pipe bombs and various homemade explosive devices found at Spafford’s residence in Isle of Wight County, located northwest of Norfolk. Gantt noted that the majority of these explosives were detonated on his property, which necessitated soil testing, while other devices were sent for further analysis at a lab. She mentioned that investigators are also examining Spafford’s electronic devices, including a phone that contains around 500,000 images, alongside other forms of evidence.
Spafford faces serious charges: one count of possessing an unregistered destructive device and one count related to the possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. Both offenses could lead to a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Defense attorney Kenneth Woodward brought to the judge’s attention that the definition of what constitutes an explosive is not clearly defined in the National Firearms Act under which Spafford has been charged.
After the hearing, Woodward refrained from commenting further. However, Spafford’s legal team has raised doubts about the usability of the explosive devices recovered from his property. They argued that, based on the assessment of “professionally trained explosive technicians,” the devices required manipulation to detonate.
The defense emphasized that there is no substantial evidence suggesting that Spafford ever intended to harm anyone, responding to the claims that individuals could be endangered due to their political ideologies as “absurd” in a court filing following his arrest.
The inquiry into Spafford started in 2023 when a confidential informant alerted authorities that he was stockpiling weapons and ammunition. This informant, a personal acquaintance and law enforcement member, reported that Spafford used images of the president for shooting practice and expressed a controversial belief that political assassinations should be reinstated, as detailed by prosecutors.
On December 17, multiple law enforcement officers and bomb technicians executed a search of Spafford’s property. Reports reveal that he had stored a volatile explosive substance in a garage freezer located next to common frozen foods like Hot Pockets and corn on the cob. Investigators also discovered explosive devices in a backpack labeled “#NoLivesMatter.”
Spafford’s attorneys have sought his release pending trial. However, a federal judge determined last week that he will remain incarcerated, citing Spafford’s potential for extreme danger. U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen referenced that Spafford lost three fingers in a 2021 accident involving homemade explosives, a fact that his defense team did not contest.
While the defense argued for Spafford’s release, mentioning his stability as a husband and father of two young daughters who works as a machinist, the prosecution was adamant about the seriousness of the allegations against him. Defense attorney Jeffrey Swartz noted that despite being under investigation since January 2023, Spafford had not posed any threats to anyone during that time, stating, “He purchased a home. He’s raised his children. He’s in a great marriage. He has a fantastic job, and those things all still exist for him.”
Nonetheless, investigators acknowledged that they had limited insight into the homemade explosives prior to the informant’s visit to Spafford’s residence. Prosecutors indicated that once Spafford was recorded accepting that he possessed an unstable primary explosive inside his freezer in October 2024, government authorities acted decisively to address the situation.
