A Santa Maria man is facing federal charges for allegedly conducting a bomb attack at the Santa Barbara County courthouse. On Wednesday, Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, was arrested after an explosive device detonated in the courthouse lobby, injuring at least five people. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, McGuire has been charged with maliciously damaging a building using explosives.
An affidavit associated with the complaint details that McGuire entered the Santa Maria courthouse on September 25, and lobbed a bag into the lobby which subsequently exploded. He then fled the scene on foot but was captured shortly after while trying to enter a vehicle. In a public statement, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada described the alleged misconduct as "chilling," and emphasized the severity of McGuire's actions which "traumatize many more" and posed a significant threat had the suspect not been apprehended.
Following his arrest, materials were discovered in McGuire's possession, including ammunition, a shotgun, a rifle, a suspected bomb, and Molotov cocktails in his red Ford Mustang, as well as bomb-making ingredients at his home. McGuire reportedly protested that his guns had been taken by the government, exhorting others to "fight, rise up, and rebel." The local and federal law enforcement, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, was credited by Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown for their swift action which "almost certainly prevented further violence."
The FBI and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office continue to investigate the matter. McGuire, if convicted, faces a minimum of seven years and up to 40 years in federal prison, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office. The case, marked by the gravity of its charges, is being prosecuted with assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice's National Security Division. Public Information Officer Ciaran McEvoy confirmed that McGuire is slated to make his first court appearance this Friday in Los Angeles.
