An ex-con whom authorities allege is associated with a racially motivated violent extremist group is expected to be arraigned Thursday on federal drug and ammunition charges stemming from a search warrant served at his Reseda home.
Ryan Bradford, 34, is accused of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of ammunition, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
He was previously ordered detained pending his arraignment in Los Angeles federal court.
FBI, federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Los Angeles police officers recovered 116 rounds of ammunition, firearm parts and two 3D printers — one of which had swastikas painted on it — and temporarily shut down streets in the area following the discovery of an apparent improvised explosive device during a search at Bradford’s home, federal prosecutors said.
Bradford is barred from possessing ammunition as a result of a 2012 burglary conviction, court papers show.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, between 2021 and last January, Bradford posted online messages and photographs documenting his use of a 3-D printer to manufacture firearms, as well as calling for the mass murder of Jews.
The affidavit alleges that Bradford posted an Amazon review on a 3-D printer motherboard that included a photo of his left hand, on which a tattoo on his index reads “Hate,” and that he is believed to be the operator of an account on an instant-messaging service in which he allegedly made threats regarding “killing Jews.”
“As alleged, this convicted felon affiliated with a violent white supremacist group who espouses horrific acts of violence against Jews appears to be manufacturing firearms and possessing an improvised explosive device,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement after Bradford’s arrest last month.
“The potential danger to the community cannot be overstated. We will continue to investigate this matter to ensure that this defendant is held accountable for his crimes, and to keep our community safe from acts of violence motivated by racist and hateful ideology.”