A lawyer for Mr Spafford denied he is a danger to the community and is seeking his client’s release from pre-trial detention.
Investigators said on Tuesday that the bombs were “preliminarily assessed as the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history”.
Mr Spafford had allegedly used photos of US President Joe Biden for target practice and expressed hope that Vice-President Kamala Harris would be assassinated.
He had recently sought qualifications in sniper-rifle shooting at a local range, according to the court papers.
The federal judge overseeing the case ordered that Mr Spafford be released with electronic monitoring.
The FBI claims that during a raid on a farm in Virginia, it found over 150 bombs, which is believed to be the largest cache of this kind the agency has ever seized.
Following a tip that he was hoarding firearms and homemade ammunition on the property he shares with his wife and two small children, Brad Spafford was taken into custody on December 17 in Isle of Wight County, 180 miles (290 km) south of Washington, DC.
Investigators claim that some of the devices were discovered in a bedroom in an unprotected backpack bearing the name “nolivesmatter,” which seems to be a reference to an anti-government, far-right movement.
Mr. Spafford’s attorney denied that he poses a threat to the public and is working to have his client released from pre-trial custody.
According to investigators, additional charges are likely, but the suspect has only been charged with possessing an unregistered short-barrelled rifle for now.
The bombs are “preliminarily assessed as the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history,” according to investigators’ statement on Tuesday.
In an alleged target practice, Mr. Spafford allegedly used images of US President Joe Biden and said he hoped Vice President Kamala Harris would be killed.
According to the court documents, he had recently applied for sniper-rifle shooting certification at a nearby range.
An unidentified neighbor claimed in the charging document that Mr. Spafford had persisted in making bombs “while working with a homemade explosive device” in 2021, despite having lost three fingers on his right hand.
Earlier this year, the neighbor, who was formerly a law enforcement officer, visited Mr. Spafford’s 20-acre farm while wearing a recording device, according to investigators.
The charging document states that FBI agents searched the property after gathering evidence from the neighbor and discovered explosives strewn throughout a house.
The devices were classified as “pipe bombs” in an initial FBI assessment. They were arranged by color and most were in a detached garage. A few were designated as “lethal.”.
According to court documents, a wearable vest was found to contain multiple bombs.
In the house, more bombs “were found completely unsecured in a backpack.”. According to court documents, the backpack’s exterior was labeled “nolivesmatter”.
According to the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, Nolivesmatter is a movement that encourages members to harm themselves and animals and supports extremist ideology, targeted attacks, mass killings, and criminal activity.
Together with the pipe bombs, investigators claim to have discovered a jar of HMTD, a highly volatile explosive that the FBI says is so unstable that it can detonate with just a change in temperature and doesn’t need a detonator.
The court papers state that the jar of HMTD, which was marked “Dangerous” and “Do Not Touch,” was kept in a freezer near food that the kids could reach.
Investigators were also informed by the neighbor that Mr. Spafford had talked about securing the property with a cannon mounted on the roof.
According to the court documents, Mr. Spafford, who worked at a machine shop, also claimed that the federal government had taken missing children from the news to train them as school shooters.
A lawyer for Mr. Spafford stated on Tuesday that the government’s accusation that he was dangerous was “fear mongering and rank speculation” because the suspect had no criminal history.
“There is no proof in the record that Mr. Spafford ever threatened anyone, and it is absurd to argue that someone could be in danger due to their political beliefs and remarks,” the attorney wrote.
The case’s federal judge mandated that Mr. Spafford be released under electronic surveillance.
But since the government wants to keep the suspect in pre-trial custody, that decision is on hold.
