Santa Maria Courthouse Bomber Nathaniel McGuire Takes Plea Deal Over Federal Charges
LOS ANGELES (KEYT) – Nathaniel James McGuire, the Santa Maria man arrested after detonating an explosive device at a local courthouse in September of 2024, has accepted a plea deal regarding his federal charges this week.
The agreement only satisfies charges he was facing in federal court and he still faces multiple felony charges filed in October of 2024 by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.
McGuire agreed to plead guilty to counts one and two, use of weapon of mass destruction and malicious destruction of a building using an explosive, of his federal indictment, meet additional requirements regarding compliance with federal law, and to forgo the right to appeal his federal conviction detailed the plea agreement.
Federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence no longer than 30 years in prison, but the agreement noted, "the Court and the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office are not parties to this agreement and need not accept any of the USAO's [U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California] sentencing recommendations or the parties' agreements to facts or sentencing factors."
On the morning of Sep. 25, 2024, 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 federal 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 at least five people and McGuire then ran to the courthouse's parking lot towards his parked vehicle detailed the indictment.
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 noted the federal indictment and his local criminal complaint.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office shared that he was wearing body armor under his jacket when he was detained outside of the courthouse.
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 explained the indictment.
McGuire later told investigators that he had intended to re-enter the courthouse with the firearms and kill a judge stated the indictment.
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.
The plea agreement was signed by McGuire his legal representative and federal prosecutors on Sep. 8, 2026.
