FBI finds 'largest stockpile of homemade explosives in American history' at home
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One of the largest stockpiles of homemade explosives the FBI has ever seized was found in a home last month. Brad Spafford allegedly collected more than 150 pipe bombs and other homemade devices in the home he shares with his wife and two young children. Most of the bombs were found in a detached garage at the address in Norfolk, Virginia, the FBI said. The prosecutors wrote this is believed to be "the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history." They added: "Several additional apparent pipe bombs were found in a backpack in the home’s bedroom, completely unsecured.".
Tools and bomb-making materials, including fuses and pieces of plastic pipe, were also discovered at the property, believed to be a farm on the outskirts of the waterfront city. Spafford, 36, has been charged with possession of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act and reportedly faces further charges in relation to the explosives. Spafford's lawyers argue there was no evidence he was planning any violence.
The dad, who it is said disfigured his hand in 2021 while working on homemade explosives, had been stockpiling the weapons since 2023. During this time, it is alleged Spafford used pictures of President Joe Biden for target practice and "believed political assassinations should be brought back".
But the property was eventually searched on December 17, 2024, and found a rifle and the explosive devices, some of which had allegedly been hand-labelled as “lethal” and some of which were loaded into a wearable vest. Technicians detonated most of the devices on site because they were deemed unsafe to transport, though several were kept for analysis, it is understood.
