Dec. 5 (UPI) — The man arrested in the attempted bombing on Jan. 6, 2021, made his first appearance in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., Friday.
A detention hearing was set for Dec. 15 by Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya.
Brian Cole Jr., of Woodbridge, Va., is charged with unlawful transportation of an explosive device in interstate commerce with the intent to kill, injure, or intimidate. He’s also charged with malicious destruction or attempt of malicious destruction, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, CNN reported.
Cole allegedly placed pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC headquarters on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021 — one day before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The bombs did not detonate, and there were no injuries. But they did divert police away from the Capitol during the riots.
Cole lives with his mother and other family members and works for a bail bondsman, the charging affidavit said.
Federal officials said they found Cole using evidence that was already in the file, not a new tip. They used cell phone data and purchasing records to find him.
“That evidence has been sitting there collecting dust,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday.
Authorities have not said what Cole’s motive was, but the New York Times reported that he was sympathetic to President Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
According to his credit card and checking account records, Cole bought multiple items from Oct. 19 through late 2020 that are consistent with components of the pipe bombs, the charging document said.
Some items he bought were galvanized pipe, end caps, electrical wire, battery clips and kitchen timers, the document said. He bought them from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart and Micro Center.
Cole was seen on grainy surveillance video, but it was difficult to make out any characteristics, prolonging the investigation. The pipe bombs were made of 1-inch galvanized pipes, 8 inches long with end caps, homemade black powder, wires, metal clips and a kitchen timer. The FBI has said that the bombs were viable and could have seriously hurt people nearby if they had exploded. It offered a $500,000 reward for information on the suspect. The bombs sat for 15 hours before being discovered, and Vice President Kamala Harris came very close to one of the bombs.
