A federal magistrate judge has ruled that Brian Cole Jr, the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside Democratic and Republican headquarters the night before the January 6 Capitol attack, must remain in jail while awaiting trial. The court found that Cole poses an 'intolerable risk of danger to the community if released'.
Cole, 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, faces two federal charges: transportation of explosive devices across state lines with intent to harm and malicious attempted destruction using explosives. The latter carries a potential 20-year prison sentence. The devices did not explode and were safely disabled by Capitol police.
Defence attorneys argued Cole is on the autism spectrum with no criminal history and no evidence he would flee, suggesting home detention with GPS monitoring. However, the judge determined no conditions could reasonably assure community safety.
Authorities arrested Cole on 4 December, nearly five years after the incident. Searches of his home revealed bomb-making components, including metal pipes and wire matching materials used in the 2021 devices. His mobile phone data placed him near both party headquarters at the time, and a license plate reader captured his vehicle nearby.
Financial records allegedly show Cole purchased most bomb components from northern Virginia retailers in 2019 and 2020, continuing to buy similar materials into August 2022. In a video interview, Cole initially denied involvement but later admitted he was the person in surveillance footage, according to court documents.
