A Smithfield man who authorities say stockpiled dozens of homemade explosive devices was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison.
Brad Kenneth Spafford, 36, was convicted of possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle and an unregistered destructive device. The case traces back to a 2021 explosion that left Spafford seriously injured.
On July 31, 2021, Spafford showed up at an emergency room missing his right thumb, with partially amputated fingers, hearing loss, and cuts to his scalp. He told hospital staff the injuries came from fireworks. Investigators later determined the injuries were caused by a misfire from a launcher he was using at a family member’s rural property—where Spafford regularly detonated explosives he had made himself.
The investigation deepened in December 2024, when Spafford was arrested for possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle. A search of his Smithfield home and vehicles uncovered the rifle, matching ammunition, and what agents described as a disturbing haul: roughly 155 improvised explosive devices that appeared to be homemade pipe bombs.
Some of the devices were labeled by hand with words like “lethal” and “concussion.”
Federal officials said the devices posed a real and immediate danger.
“Brad Spafford’s manufacture and stockpiling of explosive devices posed a serious danger to himself and to others,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This sentence, along with Mr. Spafford’s own injuries, should serve as a deterrent to anyone considering the manufacture of homemade explosives.”
Investigators also recovered bomb-making tools, precursor chemicals, an improvised mine, Tannerite, two empty grenade canisters, riot gear, and large amounts of homemade ammunition. Some of the explosives analyzed had propellant capabilities consistent with use in a launcher and were capable of causing serious injury, death, or major property damage.
FBI officials emphasized the broader public safety implications.
“The sentencing of Brad Spafford reflects the serious consequences of illegally possessing dangerous weapons and explosive devices that threaten public safety,” said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “This case underscores the FBI’s commitment to identifying and stopping individuals who endanger our communities.”
Authorities credited coordinated work between federal, state, and local agencies, including the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, for safely securing the devices and bringing the case to a close.