Santa Maria Courthouse bomber pleads guilty to federal charges

September 11, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

The 22-year-old man who set off a bomb injuring five people at the Santa Maria Courthouse in 2024 pleaded guilty to two federal charges this week.

As part of a plea agreement, Nathaniel James McGuire agreed to plead guilty to using a weapon of mass destruction and for maliciously damaging a building by means of an explosive. Federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of no longer than 30 years in federal prison.

Nathaniel McGuire

McGuire still faces 10 charges in state court: two counts of attempted murder, use of an explosive device with the intent to murder, use of an explosive device for purposes of terrorizing, use of an explosive device causing injury, possession of loaded firearms and multiple felony counts of arson with the use of an accelerate.

McGuire went to the courthouse on the morning of Sept. 25 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.