Brian Cole Jr., the Virginia man accused of placing pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee buildings in Washington, D.C., in January 2021, made his first appearance in federal court Friday as his family yelled in support as he was led out.
Cole, 30, was informed about the charges against him as he appeared before a judge in Washington.
Government prosecutors told Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya Cole spoke to law enforcement for over four hours Thursday, and they would provide a transcript of the conversation to Cole’s defense attorney, John Shoreman, over the weekend.
FOX NEWS POLITICS NEWSLETTER: WHO IS BRIAN COLE, THE DC PIPE BOMB SUSPECT?
Cole was wearing a tan jumpsuit and glasses and told Judge Upadhyaya he did understand the charges against him. Cole was not shackled.
Members of Cole’s family were in the courtroom and yelled in support as he was led out, “We love you, Brian. We’re here for you, baby.”
The next step is a detention hearing on Dec. 15. Cole will remain in federal custody pending the next court proceeding.
He was arrested Thursday. During 2019 and 2020, he purchased multiple items consistent with components that were used to manufacture the pipe bombs placed at the RNC and DNC, authorities said.
WHO IS BRIAN COLE, THE DC PIPE BOMB SUSPECT?
Surveillance footage released by the FBI shows a suspect placing the two explosive devices near the buildings in Washington. The explosives found hours later by law enforcement were determined by the FBI to be “viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death.”
Cole was charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and with maliciously attempting to destroy property using explosive materials, according to a criminal complaint.
On Friday, FBI Director Kash Patel criticized the Biden administration over the handling of the case.
“This is a case that should’ve been solved by the previous administration. 5 years later, justice is finally being delivered,” he wrote on X. “It still wasn’t easy, details of which we will share more about at the appropriate time. But when you let good cops be cops, this is what happens.”
Investigators used cellphone geolocation data to track the suspect in the case, he said.
Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, David Spunt and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
