By Joseph Lord
Contributing Writer
The Department of Justice on Tuesday evening released the two-page grand jury indictment against Brian Cole Jr., the suspect in attempted bombings of major party headquarters ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021 “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington.
It comes just over a month after Attorney General Pam Bondi and other administration officials announced on Dec. 4 that Cole was in custody, ending a nearly five-year manhunt.
Cole is accused of planting explosive devices at the Washington offices of both major political parties, including the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the Republican National Committee headquarters, around Jan. 5, 2021.
Neither device successfully detonated. However, by the time authorities discovered the explosives, the suspect had long since disappeared — beginning a manhunt that would continue for years.
According to the indictment, Cole was indicted by a grand jury on two federal charges related to transporting and attempting to use explosives.
The first of the two charges is based on a violation of a federal law related to the interstate transportation of explosive devices.
“On or about Jan. 5, 2021 … [Cole] knowingly transported in interstate commerce … two explosive devices commonly referred to as ‘pipe bombs,’ with the knowledge and intent to use those explosives to intimidate any individual and unlawfully to damage and destroy any building and other real property in Washington, D.C.,” the indictment reads.
Because the explosive didn’t detonate, Cole faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for this charge.
The second charge accuses Cole of “maliciously [attempting] to damage and destroy, by means of fire and an explosive,” the DNC and RNC headquarters and surrounding property.
If convicted, Cole faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years on this count.
The indictment’s origins date back nearly five years, to the evening before the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
On Jan. 5, 2021, security footage captured an individual wearing a gray hoodie and a face mask carrying a bag through a residential neighborhood on South Capitol Street in Washington around 7:40 p.m. local time.
At 7:52 p.m., footage showed the individual sitting on a bench outside the DNC headquarters. In the footage, the individual zipped up a bag, stood, and began to walk away.
Later the next day, law enforcement discovered a pipe bomb in a nearby bush.
At 8:14 p.m., the suspect was seen in an alley near the RNC headquarters. Law enforcement also discovered an explosive device in this area.
Both bombs were placed just blocks from the U.S. Capitol.
Neither bomb ultimately detonated, and law enforcement officers found them the following day while Congress’ session in the U.S. Capitol to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election was in progress.
However, the FBI has stated that the bombs could have detonated.
“Fortunately, these bombs did not explode, although they certainly could have,” Darren Cox, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, said at a Dec. 4 press briefing announcing Cole’s capture.
Despite the FBI offering a half-million-dollar reward, the case ultimately went cold and no arrests were made for five years.
