Brian Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia is accused of planting two pipe bombs at the Capitol the day before the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection in Washington D.C.
Attorney General Pam Bondi identified the DC pipe bomb suspect as 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr.

A Virginia man accused of planting two pipe bombs in Washington D.C. the night before the U.S. Capital riots on Jan. 6, 2021 is set to appear in court for the first time on Friday, Dec. 5.

Brian Cole Jr., of Woodbridge, a city roughly 25 miles from Washington, will appear in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is facing two explosives-related charges just one day after his arrest.

Under the law, the federal charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Cole, 30, is accused of placing two pipe bombs near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees on the night of Jan. 5, 2021, the FBI previously said.

The explosives did not detonate and no one was hurt.

Just one day earlier, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Cole had been taken into custody following a nearly five-year investigation. She also said additional charges were pending in the case.

Cole's attorney John Shoreman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday morning, Dec. 5.

USA TODAY has reached out to Cole's relatives.

Cole allegedly bought pipe bomb parts from Home Depot, Walmart

Federal law enforcement officials said they located Cole by using evidence they already had – not a new tip – including cell phone data and purchasing records that a special team of investigators was brought in to reevaluate.

“That evidence has been sitting there collecting dust,” Bondi said.

Cole's credit card and checking account records showed he purchased multiple items as early as October 2019 through late 2020 consistent with the components used to manufacture two pipe bombs placed at the RNC and DNC offices, according to his 7-page charging document.

Cole bought components including a galvanized pipe, end caps, electrical wire, battery clips and white kitchen timers, court records also said. Investigators tracked Cole’s purchases at Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart and Micro Center.

The suspect bought items including safety glasses, a wire-stripping tool and a machinist’s file, which could be used to make pipe bombs, officials said. Cole then allegedly continued to buy the components after the pipe bombs were found, including a kitchen timer, more nine-volt batteries and galvanized pipes during January 2021.

Provider records show Cole's cell phone connected with towers consistent with his being in the area of the RNC and DNC offices on Jan. 5, 2021.

In addition, court documents state, a Virginia license plate registered to a vehicle he owns was captured on camera the same day at 7:10 p.m., at the South Capitol Street exit from Interstate 395 South. That's "less than one-half mile from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first observed on foot," records said.

Contributing: Reuters and Sarah Wire with USA TODAY

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DC pipe bomb suspect to appear in court on explosive charges

Reporting by Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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