DOJ Charges NC Man in Explosive Device Case

The website for Tackleberry Solutions tells prospective customers that it “teaches wartime military tactics for home defense” and offers a free PDF on home fortification. The Justice Department alleged Monday that the organization’s trainer was secretly peddling a more sinister service — direction on how to make improvised explosive devices — and that he knew the recipient of his training was planning to kill law enforcement officers, the Washington Post reports. Christopher Arthur, 38, of Mount Olive, N.C., was charged with teaching another individual how to make and use an explosive, knowing the individual intended to use that knowledge in the attempted murder of federal law enforcement personnel. Arthur was arrested this month; the case against him was unsealed Monday. The FBI’s path to Arthur began after a dramatic 2020 chase and shootout in New York state between law enforcement officers and a suspected extremist. Investigators searching the home and vehicle of the slain suspect found guns, improvised explosive devices and an instruction manual from Tackleberry Solutions bearing Arthur’s name. Prosecutors said the suspect in the shootout appeared to have attended training with Arthur at Tackleberry Solutions in March 2020. A confidential informant working with the FBI later reached out to the company requesting one of its free PDFs, and Arthur allegedly began to offer more. “According to these charges, the defendant provided someone with training on explosive devices knowing that person intended to use that information to murder or attempt the murder of law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said.“This type of behavior is criminal, it is unacceptable, and it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent."