Jan. 9 (UPI) — Brian Cole Jr. pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges accusing him of placing pipe bombs outside political party headquarters ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protest.
Cole entered his plea during an arraignment hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He faces charges of interstate transportation of explosives, malicious attempt to use explosives and related federal charges.
Cole, 30, allegedly placed a pipe bomb near the entrances of the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night of Jan. 5, 2021, but neither exploded.
Federal prosecutors said he admitted to placing the explosive devices and that he hoped they would explode and generate news coverage.
Cole said the 2020 election was stolen from voters and that he blamed both political parties because they are the ones in charge of the nation’s politics.
Prosecutors said Cole bought materials to make the bombs over several months ahead of the Capitol protest, and investigators used cellular tower data, credit card records and a license plate reader to identify him.
His attorney said Cole has been peaceful, was diagnosed with autism and the pipe bombs were incapable of exploding, CNN reported.
Cole is a resident of Woodbridge, Va., where he lives with other family members inside his mother’s house that is about 30 miles from the capital.
He was employed by a bail bond business and was arrested at his mother’s home on Dec. 4.
A federal grand jury indicted him on the charges for which he was arraigned on Friday.
He has another court hearing scheduled on Jan. 28 to determine if he should remain in detention or be allowed to post bail and be released from custody while the case is argued in court.