DC pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole Jr. was hit with a federal indictment on Tuesday — roughly five years after he allegedly planted explosives on the eve of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
The federal indictment charged Cole with interstate transportation of explosives and malicious attempt to use explosives, for allegedly placing two pipe bombs by the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021, the US Department of Justice announced.
“Given that Cole crossed state lines and targeted the political leadership of both parties, for which there is an inherent crime of federal jurisdiction, handling this in federal court is most proper,” US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The FBI and my office worked around the clock to ensure that this defendant is charged with the right crimes for his dangerous acts,” Pirro said.
The charges in the federal indictment were the same as those waged against him in a complaint filed last month.
Law enforcement discovered the IEDs near the DNC and RNC headquarters on Jan. 6, 2021 — the same day rioters supporting President Trump stormed the nearby US Capitol in an attempt to halt the certification of the 2020 election.
Neither device detonated, and the US Capitol Police were able to carry out a “render safe procedure” on the explosives, prosecutors said.
In an earlier Justice Department memo, Cole allegedly confessed to the explosive scheme and revealed that “something just snapped” in him before planting the devices after his arrest in early December.
He added that he wanted to “speak up” for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen and target the country’s political parties for being “in charge.”
Cole was arrested at his home on Dec. 4, 2025, in Woodbridge, Virginia, after a multi-agency effort.
He had purchased multiple components matching those used to create the two IEDs in 2019 and 2020 at several northern Virginia retail stores, prosecutors alleged.
Video surveillance also revealed an individual, matching Cole’s appearance, placing the devices in dark pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, dark gloves, Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, and a facemask.
Cole’s Nissan Sentra was spotted near the scene, and cell phone records showed he was in the area between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. that day, according to his complaint.
His attorneys revealed in a filing that Cole is on the autism spectrum and suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Cole was ordered to remain behind bars pending his trial on Friday after a federal magistrate judge argued there were signs he could pose a danger to his community.
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