Alleged Bombmaker to Stay in Custody

A quick update to our December 30th story about a Virginia man, Brad Spafford, who was arrested for allegedly possessing a unlicensed short barrel rifle. In a Tuesday evening ruling, Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen agreed with the Justice Department’s request to overrule a previous judge’s ruling to allow his release. DOJ has stated that the December search of Spafford’s house was “the largest seizure of homemade bombs in the FBI’s history.”

Judge Allen said the totality of the evidence presented by the prosecutors was enough to warrant detention, noting in part: “Nothing in the Bail Reform Act requires that the Court wait until Defendant actually blows someone or something up (besides his own hand), if the Court concludes that it cannot reasonably assure the safety of the community through conditions of release.”

Last week, Spafford’s lawyer filed a response to DOJ’s motion for stay the release of his client, stating in part, “The United States’ position that Mr. Spafford is a danger is rank speculation and fear mongering. There is not a shred of evidence in the record that Mr. Spafford ever threatened anyone and the contention that someone might be in danger because of their political views and comments is nonsensical. In fact, the evidence proved that Mr. Spafford is not a danger but a hard-working family man with no criminal record.”

Spafford’s lawyer did not immediately return a request for comment late Tuesday evening regarding the judge’s ruling