Nathaniel McGuire facing additional federal charges in connection with Santa Maria courthouse bombing
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – On Wednesday, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Nathaniel James McGuire, the man who detonated an explosive at the Santa Maria Courthouse which injured multiple people in September of this year.
McGuire is charged with one count of using a weapon of mass destruction, one count of maliciously damaging a building with an explosive, and one count of possessing unregistered destructive devices detailed a press release from the Department of Justice Wednesday.
"The facts alleged in the indictment are disturbing," said United States Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada. "The new charge of using a weapon of mass destruction underscores how seriously we are treating this misconduct and my office’s determination to hold accountable those who seek to bring violence upon our courts, law enforcement personnel, and the public."
The Santa Maria man is also awaiting trial for ten charges filed by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.
His arraignment on his federal charges is currently scheduled for Oct. 25 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles shared the Department of Justice.
"We are grateful that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office have taken this serious case to the grand jury, and that they have returned an indictment," said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. "This crime shocked our entire community and we are pleased to see that the suspect in this case is being held accountable."
On Sep. 25 of this year, McGuire entered the Santa Maria branch of the Santa Barbara County Superior Court where he was scheduled for a hearing on a gun-related charge on the same day.
McGuire then threw a bag into the courthouse's lobby where a security checkpoint was set up to check bags and people entering the courthouse.
According to the indictment, "McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel."
The bag exploded inside of the courthouse lobby, injuring multiple people and McGuire entered the courthouse's parking lot on foot.
McGuire was apprehended by law enforcement officials just outside shortly after the explosion while he was trying to return to his red Ford Mustang parked nearby detailed Wednesday's indictment and criminal complaint.
Inside of the Mustang, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks and a thorough search of the vehicle revealed the presence of a shotgun, a rifle, additional ammunition, a suspected bomb, and ten molotov cocktails detailed the indictment.
McGuire informed law enforcement he had intended to re-enter the courthouse with the firearms and kill a judge stated the indictment Wednesday.
According to the criminal complaint, McGuire's residence had papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material, an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag with matches, black powder, and used and unused fireworks.
The criminal complaint filed in Santa Barbara Superior Court also linked McGuire to three local arsons at: 7320 Palmer Road, 6801 Palmer Road, and 2480 Tepusquet Road.
If convicted on all of his federal charges, McGuire would face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life shared the Department of Justice.
