Raleigh, N.C. – In a stunning display of justice, 40-year-old bombmaking instructor Christopher Arthur was sentenced to 25 years in prison for teaching another individual how to make and use an explosive knowing that the individual intended to use that instruction in the murder or attempted murder of federal law enforcement.
Arthur was convicted by a jury in July 2023 on nine counts, including receiving and possessing unregistered devices, including a short-barreled rifle, a silencer, three improvised hand grenades, and an improvised claymore mine.
“Violence directed towards police, judges, and public servants will never be tolerated in a free society,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant’s property was wired with IEDs, the same design he sold to help others kill American law enforcement. Anyone teaching bombmaking to target American heroes gets a lesson today – 25 years in federal prison.”
During his sentencing hearing, the court heard how Arthur and his company trained individuals to fight “the greatest threat” – a threat he identified as a militarized force like law enforcement’s Special Warfare and Tactics (SWAT) Team. Evidence was presented related to a three-part, how-to video series about how to overthrow the government.
The investigation into Arthur began after another individual died in a May 2022 shootout with police in New York. Search warrants related to that event resulted in the location of numerous Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and firearms along with multiple “Tackleberry Solutions” tactical instructional manuals which named Christopher Arthur as the author.
A review of the individual’s cell phone revealed Arthur had trained him in Mount Olive, North Carolina, for multiple days in March 2020. On March 19, 2021, a confidential source working with the FBI requested training from Arthur. After receiving introductory training materials, the CS attended training on explosives at Arthur’s Mount Olive home in May 2021.
During the training, Arthur walked the CS through how to create IEDs and how to place them to create “fatal funnels,” which could be used to maim or murder anyone entering the CS’s home. The court applied the terrorism enhancement for sentencing, relying on this evidence and that presented at trial, resulting in a maximum sentence on each of the nine counts of conviction.
“At a time when law enforcement officers are being feloniously killed at an alarming rate, it is appalling to know what Christopher Arthur did. He made a living training people how to kill or injure those who proudly wear the badge. Now he will spend time in federal prison for his dangerous and deadly lessons,” said Robert M DeWitt, FBI Special Agent in Charge.
A search warrant was executed at Arthur’s home in January 2022, resulting in the discovery of an IED placed on the front porch with wires leading to a 9-volt battery powered switch located within the home. Additionally, three IED grenades were found. Arthur’s sentencing serves as a stark reminder that violence towards law enforcement will not be tolerated.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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