Santa Maria courthouse bombing defendant pleads not guilty

October 27, 2024

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A 20-year-old man who allegedly set a bomb off injuring five people at the Santa Maria Courthouse has pleaded not guilty in federal court to three charges.

Federal prosecutors charged Nathaniel James McGuire with one count of using a weapon of mass destruction, one count of maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive and one count of possessing unregistered destructive devices. 

On Friday, McGuire was arraigned in U. S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. McGuire faces a minimum of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life behind bars solely for the using a weapon of mass destruction

McGuire went to the Santa Maria Courthouse on the morning of Sept. 25, allegedly intending to murder the deputies working at the security desk near Department 9 and a judge. He tossed a bag containing a bomb at the security desk while yelling “Liberty or Death,” before heading to his car to grab a gun.

Shortly thereafter, McGuire was apprehended and detained by law enforcement officials as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang car parked outside the building. McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up and rebel.

Inside the car, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun and a box of fireworks. A search of the car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, more ammunition, a suspected bomb and 10 Molotov cocktails. Law enforcement later rendered the bomb safe. McGuire told law enforcement he intended to re-enter the courthouse with the firearms in order to kill a judge.

A search of McGuire’s residence revealed an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.

McGuire has been in custody since his arrest on Sept. 25, shortly after the attack.