(QUEEN CITY NEWS) – In a series of YouTube videos, Mount Olive’s Christopher Arthur teaches viewers how to defend themselves, how to form a militia, and in at least one video, how to participate in a firefight with law enforcement.
Arthur, the owner of Tackleberry Solutions, is now in federal custody, accused of teaching an individual how to make bombs specifically intended to kill law enforcement.
The Duplin County man has been on the FBI’s radar for nearly two years. In May 2020, a Virginia truck driver named Joshua Blessed led police on a two-hour chase in upstate New York where over a hundred shots were fired between Blessed and the forces of local order.
Blessed eventually died.
As authorities performed a search warrant on Blessed’s home and truck, they found pipe bombs, along with instruction manuals allegedly written by Arthur.
“Numerous IEDs and additional firearms were found during the search of his residence, along with several Tackleberry Solutions tactical instruction manuals authored by Christopher Arthur. A review of the individual’s cell phone indicated that he had been training with Arthur at Tackleberry Solutions in Mount Olive for several days in March 2020,” according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern California. North Carolina.
According to investigators, the FBI then secretly requested a free PDF document from Arthur.
“After a short period of time, an email was received from Arthur stating that he had to keep some parts of the information in the PDF off the internet because explosives were such a sensitive subject,” authorities said.
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Investigators say Arthur explained how to properly place improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on his property.
He also taught “the importance of creating a deadly funnel, the setup and use of remotely activated firearms, and how to evade arrest after killing members of law enforcement.”
“According to these charges, the defendant provided someone with explosive device training knowing that the person intended to use this information to murder or attempt to murder law enforcement,” said US Attorney Michael Easley. “This type of behavior is criminal, it is unacceptable, and it will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. Here in Eastern North Carolina, we will protect the brave men and women of law enforcement who have sworn to protect us. The Department of Justice will aggressively investigate and prosecute those whose actions escalate violence against those in uniform. Our law enforcement officials deserve nothing less.
Arthur is due in court on Friday for a hearing.
