A Santa Maria Valley man charged in connection with setting off explosives in the Santa Maria Court Complex two years ago has agreed to a plea deal in federal court weeks before the scheduled start of his trial.

Nathaniel James McGuire, 22, approved the agreement that includes pleading guilty for using a weapon of mass destruction and malicious destruction of a building using an explosive, according to legal documents. 

On the morning of Sept. 24, 2024, McGuire showed up at the court complex, parking his Ford Mustang in the lot south of the facility. 

“Defendant walked to the Courthouse, lit a fuse, walked in the door, and threw a backpack containing an explosive device past the security screening area toward Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office (‘SBSO’) deputies, where it slid between a victim’s legs and detonated in the building outside a courtroom,” according to the plea agreement statement of facts. 

Five civilians were hospitalized and released the same day.

“Defendant detonated the bomb with the intent to kill SBSO deputies. After detonating the bomb, defendant left to retrieve two long guns and 10 Molotov cocktails from his vehicle and re-enter the courthouse with the intent to kill SBSO deputies and ‘splatter’ (kill) a judge,” according to the statement.

A courthouse security guard and several law enforcement officers stopped McGuire at his vehicle in the parking lot. 

“Defendant detonated the bomb in the courthouse in retaliation for various alleged government wrongs, including the SBSO’s seizure of his firearms earlier in the year,” the statement reads.

Under the terms of the agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office agreed to recommend a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison; a lifetime period of supervised release; a $200 special assessment; and restitution and a fine to be imposed by the court.

The maximum sentences for the two offenses is life in prison; a life term of supervised release; a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offenses, whichever is greatest; and a mandatory special assessment of $200.

The plea agreement also mentions restitution of approximately $35,000 for damages to the court facility from the explosives.

A third charge of possessing unregistered destructive devices would be dismissed, per the plea deal.

Law enforcement officers recovered 10 Molotov cocktails, a Mossberg shotgun, a Henry Gun Co. rifle, a flare gun and ammunition from his Ford Mustang along with a can containing black power with nails glued to the outside. 

Additionally, at McGuire’s residence, law enforcement officers found other materials related to his bomb-making.

The document, dated Tuesday, has been signed by an assistant U.S. attorney, McGuire’s attorney and on his behalf with arrangements planned for his in-person signature.

District Judge Jesus Bernal is expected to hold a change of plea hearing to formally approve the deal and then designate a date for McGuire’s sentencing hearing. 

The plea deal came weeks before the planned Sept. 22 start of McGuire’s federal trial in a Riverside courtroom after an April date had been scrapped.

The previous schedule included a Sept. 14 pre-trial conference for the case.

McGuire reportedly continues to remain in federal custody since his arrest two years ago, but he’s apparently not at a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

Following the explosives incident, several law enforcement officers and others were recognized for their quick actions.