DOJ
A Santa Barbara County man was charged today in a federal criminal complaint alleging he committed a bomb attack at a courthouse in Santa Maria on Wednesday, in which at least five people were injured.
Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, of Santa Maria, is charged with maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive.
McGuire, who was arrested Wednesday shortly after the attack, is expected to make his initial appearance Friday afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on September 25, McGuire entered a courthouse of Santa Barbara County Superior Court and threw a bag into the lobby. The bag exploded and McGuire left the courthouse on foot. The explosion injured at least five people who were present at the courthouse at that time.
Shortly thereafter, McGuire was apprehended and detained by Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang car parked outside the building. McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel.
Inside the car, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks. A search of the car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, more ammunition, a suspected bomb, and 10 Molotov cocktails. Law enforcement later rendered the bomb safe.
A search of McGuire’s residence revealed an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.
“This defendant’s alleged misconduct was chilling,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Not only did he injure five people and traumatize many more, but he possessed a cache of weapons that would have allowed him to wreak even greater destruction had he not been stopped. Attacks on our courts, law enforcement officers, and other public servants are unacceptable, and it is critical that those who carry out such assaults be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
“The idea of intentionally setting off an explosive device to do harm and avoid justice in the process shocks the conscience,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Make no mistake, we are committed to holding Mr. McGuire accountable for this blatant act of violence. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.”
“This was a shocking and unprecedented crime in our county, but, in spite of its audacity, the security of the Santa Maria courthouse was maintained,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. “The suspect was swiftly apprehended by a court security officer, a sheriff’s deputy, two California Highway Patrol officers, and a district attorney’s investigator; we are proud of their resolute actions that almost certainly prevented further violence. We are also grateful for the substantial investigative assistance that has been provided by our colleagues with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and from U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada and his office.”
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, McGuire would face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
The FBI and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Takla and Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
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Suspect Identified After Setting Off Bomb in Santa Maria Courthouse that Injured Five
Second amendment poster boy.
Second Amendment does not say bombs are legal
Yeah, actually, a bomb is totally legal under the second amendment. It simple says “arms”.
That is any weapon of war that can be carried by a militia member.
Bombs, poison gas, machine guns, rocket launchers, surface to air missiles, battlefield nuclear weapons.
These are all “arms.”
Actually, ANON, it doesn’t say they’re not legal. Bombs are arms, are they not? If you’re going to read it literally such that any restriction is “unconstitutional,” then it allows bombs, missiles, rockets, etc. Not get all liberal on us now!
And you point is?
“Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.”
Presumed innocent by the legal system due to the inordinate asymmetric power of the state to inflict punishment and is an informal expression of the asymmetric burden of proof on the state to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. But rational objective analysis is not so constrained.
I presented that argument to MS’s AI, CoPilot, which gave this response, which offers an important caveat:
“You make a compelling point. The presumption of innocence within the legal system indeed serves as a safeguard against the state’s significant power to punish, ensuring that the burden of proof lies heavily on the prosecution. This principle is crucial for maintaining fairness and preventing miscarriages of justice.
Outside the legal context, individuals are not bound by the same formal obligations. When evaluating evidence personally, people might feel justified in forming opinions based on the available information. However, it’s also worth considering the potential consequences of such judgments, especially if they lead to social stigmatization or harm.
Balancing rational analysis with ethical considerations can be challenging. “