Brian Cole, 30, accused of planting pipe bombs at the Democratic and Republican national party headquarters the night before the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol is requesting a conditional release from jail citing his autism diagnosis.
He has been in custody since December 4 when he was charged with attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive device and transporting an explosive device.
The man suspected of placing pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties in 2021 felt “extreme acts of violence” were justified because “they were in charge,” federal prosecutors say. https://t.co/Vfsr8ZfFB3
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 29, 2025
From NBC News:
In a federal court filing Tuesday morning, Cole’s attorneys said he has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The filing described his diagnosis as a mild form of autism.
Cole’s attorneys wrote that the government has not presented any evidence that suggests evasive conduct or resistance to law enforcement. They argued that Cole doesn’t pose an ongoing threat to the community, and is happy to comply with all court ordered restrictions.
He has kept the same job with his family’s bail bonds business over several years and hasn’t moved or attempted to flee, the filing said.
But in a motion filed on Sunday, the government alleged that Cole wore a face mask and gloves the night he planted the bombs, as well as wiping down the bombs with disinfectant. The government said Cole also performed a factory reset of his phone more than 900 times between December 2020 and the day he was arrested.
NBC News previously reported that Cole confessed to having planted the pipe bombs in an interview with FBI agents. He reportedly told agents that he believed in conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
In interviews, Cole told FBI agents that “something just snapped” after he had watched “everything getting worse.”
Cole has not yet entered a plea. Read more at NBC News.
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