Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old man from Virginia, has asked a federal judge to grant him conditional release from jail while he awaits trial for planting pipe bombs at the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on the night before protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Federal prosecutors state that Cole, who was arrested on December 4, faces charges including transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials. He has not entered a plea to these accusations.
In a federal court filing Tuesday, Cole’s lawyers stated he is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, describing it as a mild form of autism. The filing included several character reference letters from individuals who claim they have known Cole for years.
One reference letter noted: “While I understand the seriousness of the charges against Brian Cole Jr., these charges seem totally out of character from the Brian Cole Jr. that I have observed over many years,” the writer stated, claiming to have known Cole for 22 years.
Cole’s legal team argued federal authorities have not presented evidence suggesting he resisted law enforcement or attempted to evade officials. They maintained that Cole does not pose a threat and is willing to comply with court-ordered restrictions. The filing also highlighted that Cole has kept the same job for several years with his family’s bail bonds business and has not moved or attempted to flee.
The document countered prosecutors’ claims that Cole spent nearly five years evading detection, stating: “Mr. Cole lived with his parents the entire time, never moved, and followed his same routine daily.”
However, federal prosecutors filed a motion on Sunday alleging Cole wore face masks and gloves when planting the devices and wiped them with disinfectant. They also accused Cole of performing over 900 factory resets on his phone between December 2020 and the day of his arrest.
Prosecutors urged the judge to keep Cole detained, claiming he believed “extreme acts of violence” were justified due to his dislike of both major political parties. According to court documents, Cole told FBI agents that “something just snapped” after watching “everything getting worse.” He reportedly blamed the Democratic and Republican parties for being “in charge,” according to the filing.
