SMITHFIELD, Va. (WAVY) — A nearly two-year investigation has led to a federal weapons charge for a Isle of Wight County man who had been stockpiling weapons and homemade ammunition, according to an affidavit and other documents filed in the case. According to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District, Brad Kenneth Spafford, 36, has been charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm for allegedly possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle, in violation of the National Firearms Act. Spafford, who has an address on Foursquare Road in Isle of Wight County where the FBI said it has been conducting "court authorized law enforcement activity," is currently being held in the Western Tidewater Regional Jail. Spafford had an initial court appearance Wednesday and has a detention hearing set for Dec. 23. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 3. He was booked in the jail just after 8 p.m. Tuesday. In response to a WAVY inquiry into the matter, an FBI spokesperson forwarded a copy of the criminal complaint against Spafford. The complaint states that the alleged violation took place on or about Oct. 19. According to the affidavit, Spafford had told a confidential informant that he was stockpiling weapons and homemade ammunition, and the informant shared information that Spafford had disfigured his hand on July 4, 2021 while working with a homemade explosive device. The informant, according to the affidavit, saw several fingers missing from one of Spafford's hands after the event. The informant told a member of the Joint Terrorism Task Force that "Spafford and his friends are preparing for something that Spafford would not be able to do alone," and that Spafford was making about 50 rounds of ammunition per day. Spafford also had a "go-box," according to the confidential informant's information in the affidavit, which said it was a "box or bag that has been modified with medical supplies, weapons, ammunition, food and water in the event one needs to act fast to a situation because it is staged for quick access and movement." The affidavit noted that, in response to a request from the Norfolk FBI office, that Spafford did not have a tax stamp or registered short barrel rifles on file, and did not have a license to possess explosive materials. A short barrel rifle is defined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length. Spafford, according to the affidavit, said his barrel rifle was 10 inches long. Neighbors in the area reported hearing loud booms on the rural property in Smithfield Tuesday night, and 10 On Your Side's Deja Parker heard a loud booming sound while at the intersection of Foursquare Road and Courthouse Highway Wednesday evening. FBI agents have been in that area, along with Virginia State Police and the Norfolk Police-Fire Bomb squad. "I can confirm the FBI is present in Smithfield, VA conducting court authorized law enforcement activity," according to a statement from the FBI's Norfolk public affairs office sent to WAVY Wednesday. "Because this is an ongoing matter, I have no further information to provide at this time. However, I can assure nearby residents that the ongoing activity poses no threat to public safety." The FBI confirmed there is no threat to the public.