Brian Cole Jr, the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside party headquarters in Washington DC the night before the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack, made his first court appearance on Friday. The 30-year-old from Virginia faces two explosives-related charges before Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya.
According to reports citing sources familiar with the matter, Cole confessed to investigators that he believed in conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. The Associated Press reported that Cole admitted planting the devices, though the FBI and Department of Justice have not commented on his motivations.
The bombs were placed outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee buildings on the evening of 5 January 2021. They were discovered the next day and deactivated by police. Neither device exploded, and no injuries were reported.
Cole was arrested on Thursday after a reinvestigation of existing evidence led to his identification, according to US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Investigators traced purchases of components used in the bombs—including pipes, kitchen timers, and battery connectors—to Cole, and cellphone and license plate data placed him near the scene that evening.
The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. A detention hearing is set for 15 December, with prosecutors expected to argue for Cole to be held before trial.
