The man who allegedly mailed 16 improvised explosive devices (IED) to high-ranking Democrats, and others who have vocally opposed President Donald Trump, was indicted Friday and faces charged of using weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
A federal court on Friday handed down a 30-count criminal indictment to Cesar Sayoc for threatening injuries to other people, all while violating federal law by mailing the pipe bombs through the U.S. Postal Service and other commercial delivery outlets.
Prosecutors in the case said Sayoc sent packages to former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, former CIA director John Brennan, actor-director Robert De Niro, former national intelligence director James Clapper and billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros. Prosecutors said each package was marked with a red 'X,' according to a USA Today report. Former president Barack Obama was not named in the indictment as a recipient, despite earlier reports.
No one was injured in the mail bombs, according to the report, as most were recovered by alert postal employees before the devices could explode.
Sayoc was arrested by federal investigators in the South Florida town of Plantation last month after fingerprints and DNA evidence led to a trackdown by the FBI. Sayoc has been held without bail since Oct. 26.
Sayoc was initially to appear in court three days ago. Sayoc must forfeit all assets used to conduct the alleged crimes.
A new hearing to arraign Sayoc on the indictment charges has not yet been set.
Authorities said Sayoc was working various jobs all while living in his van. His employment ranged from a food delivery guy to disk jockey, the investigators said. The white van that doubled as his home was dotted with pro-Trump and anti-Democrat stickers, one of which showed Hillary Clinton in the cross-hairs of a gun scope.
Investigators checked out Sayoc's laptop found in his van, finding a list of addresses that included those that matched those on the bomb packages hit list. In addition, Sayoc's cell phone search included addresses for intended targets and their families.
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