A North Carolina man, Christopher Arthur, has been found guilty of instructing an individual on how to create explosive devices intended for use against federal law enforcement. The 39-year-old Army veteran, who served two tours in Iraq, now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Arthur was also charged with possessing illegal weapons, including improvised explosives discovered on his Mount Olive property.
Arthur operated Tackleberry Solutions, a company promoting the instruction of "wartime tactics" to civilians. His arrest in January 2022 followed an interaction with a confidential informant, identified as "Buckshot," whom Arthur guided in bomb construction. Buckshot had initially approached Arthur in May 2021, claiming that ATF agents had seized some of his firearms and expressing concern about their potential return.
During the trial, prosecutors presented recordings of Arthur explaining a "spider web" home defense strategy involving strategically placed improvised explosives designed to inflict harm or death. Arthur's defense attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Ed Gray, argued that Arthur's actions stemmed from a belief in an impending societal collapse and war, emphasizing that his client's intent was to empower individuals in self-defense. Gray portrayed Arthur's actions as driven by fear and preparation for a future conflict, not immediate violence.
However, the prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Kocher, successfully argued that Arthur was fully aware of his actions. Kocher highlighted the danger posed to all law enforcement when individuals are trained to create bombs for use against federal agents. She presented videos in which Arthur advocated for militia creation and criticized what he perceived as tyrannical government overreach, asserting that these warnings were directed at the current government, not a hypothetical future scenario.
The FBI's interest in Arthur dates back to at least May 2020, following the discovery of his tactical manuals in the residence of Joshua Blessed, who was killed in a shootout with police in New York. Authorities found bombs in Blessed's vehicle and home, and his phone records revealed training sessions with Arthur in North Carolina. Text messages exchanged between the two men indicated a close bond, with Arthur referring to Blessed as a "brother."
