Judge orders suspected Jan. 6 pipe bomber jailed until trial

A federal judge on Friday ruled that the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the headquarters of both major political parties ahead of the Jan. 6 incident will remain in custody until his trial.

Brian Cole Jr. stands accused of planting the devices near the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee buildings. He was arrested in late 2025 after a years-long investigation.

Judge Matthew Sharbaugh issued the order for Cole's continued incarceration on Friday, The Hill reported. The judge indicated that Cole's freedom would present a safety risk.

Neither of the explosives that Cole planted were detonated during the events of Jan. 6. The case attracted scrutiny from across the political spectrum given its apparent link to Jan. 6, the high-profile nature of the case, and federal law enforcement's apparent inability to identify the suspect.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.