Brian Cole Jr., arrested Dec. 4, 2025, has been ordered to remain jailed pending trial on federal charges that he planted two pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol the night before Jan. 6, 2021. The devices were found but did not detonate. Prosecutors say he was linked to the scene by cell phone location data and allegedly confessed after his arrest; the court found no conditions of release that would reasonably protect public safety.
Judge Orders Brian Cole Jr. To Remain Detained Over Alleged Capitol-Area Pipe Bomb Plot
DOJ; FBI/ZUMA Wire/ShutterstockBrian Cole Jr., left
A federal judge has ordered that Brian Cole Jr., a Virginia resident, remain in custody pending trial after prosecutors charged him with planting two pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol the night before the Jan. 6, 2021 attack.
Case and Charges
Cole was arrested on Dec. 4, 2025. The Department of Justice has charged him with transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials. The explosive devices were discovered on Jan. 6, 2021; neither detonated.
Pretrial Detention Ruling
On Jan. 2, 2026, a federal judge issued a 19-page opinion finding that prosecutors met their burden to show there are no conditions of release that would reasonably ensure public safety. The court emphasized the grave nature and circumstances of the alleged offenses and concluded that pretrial detention was appropriate.
“After all, Mr. Cole reportedly stated that he planted the devices — one of them underneath a public bench, no less — hoping they would detonate and that there would be news about it,” the judge wrote. “Mercifully, that did not happen. But if the plan had succeeded, the results could have been devastating.”
Investigation Details
According to court filings and news reports, investigators identified Cole in part by tracing cell phone location data to the area where the devices were placed. Prosecutors also allege that Cole confessed to planting the bombs after his arrest. Surveillance footage released after the devices were found showed a hooded, masked, gloved individual carrying backpacks; the FBI said the explosives were carried in backpacks and placed roughly 30 minutes apart.
Background
Previous reporting indicates Cole lived with his parents and worked for a bail bond company prior to his arrest and had no known prior criminal history. He has not yet entered a plea in the federal case.
The case remains under investigation as authorities prepare for prosecution.
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