The Department of Justice and the FBI revealed on Friday the suspect in the rash of mail bombs to CNN and prominent Democrats has been charged and there may be other explosive devices not yet intercepted by authorities.
The mail-bomb suspect was identified as 56-year-old Cesar Altieri Sayoc of New York. On Friday morning, he was taken into custody in Plantation, Florida and was charged with five federal crimes, including interstate transportation of explosives and threats to former presidents.
He faces up to 58 years in prison. So far, 13 devices have been recovered around the country, officials said.
“These are not hoax devices,” FBI Director Chris Wray said during a media conference.
Other packages “may be out there now or on the way,” Wray added.
Sayoc is accused of sending a dozen explosive devices around the country targeting what appears to be critics of Donald Trump, which included the Clintons, the Obamas, billionaire George Soros, Robert De Niro, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, former Attorney General Eric Holder and former CIA Director John Brennan. CNN was also targeted.
A white van covered in pro-Trump stickers, and some with crosshairs over Trump’s critics — including Hillary Clinton and filmmaker Michael Moore — was seized by authorities. Other stickers targeted CNN.
Court records show Sayoc ran social media accounts that denigrated Democrats and praised Trump.
Authorities would not speculate on the suspect’s exact motivation and said the investigation is ongoing.
