A federal judge ruled Friday that the suspect accused of planting pipe bombs at the Democratic and Republican national committee headquarters the night before the U.S. Capitol riot will remain in custody pending his trial.
Brian Cole Jr., 30, was arrested on Dec. 4 at his Woodbridge, Virginia, home, after a nearly five-year investigation, for allegedly planting the pipe bombs.
He has yet to enter a plea, and a trial date has not been set.
At a hearing Tuesday, Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh postponed his decision on Cole’s detention so that he could further review files from the prosecution and defense teams.
On Friday, Sharbaugh said in a written order that “the sudden and abrupt motivation behind Mr. Cole’s alleged actions presents concerns about how quickly the same abrupt and impulsive conduct might recur.” He noted that Cole had told the FBI that he had assembled the pipe bombs in the hours before he drove to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, a day before a mob stormed the Capitol to try to overthrow the 2020 election, won by Joe Biden. The judge said that suggests that Cole “can prepare devices in short order, over a matter of hours, not necessarily days or weeks.”
Prosecutors in the case had urged pretrial detention for Cole, given the seriousness of the charges, saying he poses a threat to the community.
Cole was charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce with intent to kill, injure, intimidate or destroy property, and attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials, according to charging documents.
Cole’s defense team argued during the hearing that he could be safely released to his grandmother’s home with strict conditions, including an ankle monitor and house arrest.
