Cesar Sayoc (pictured) pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court on Thursday to sending pipe bombs to prominent critics of President Donald
A Florida man sobbed in court as he pleaded guilty on Thursday to using weapons of mass destruction and other crimes in connection with mailing explosives to prominent Democrats and other critics of President Donald Trump.
Cesar Sayoc, 57 - who became known as the MAGA bomber - entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan federal court, speaking in a halting, shaky voice that often dropped to a whisper.
He admitted to sending 16 devices 'designed to look like pipe bombs' consisting of a plastic pipe filled with power from fireworks and fertilizer, a digital clock and wires.
All of the devices were intercepted before reaching their intended targets, and none exploded.
After describing what he did, he broke down in sobs, for several seconds unable to speak.
'I know that these actions were wrong and I am extremely sorry,' he finally said.
When Rakoff asked Sayoc whether he intended the devices to explode, or to kill or injure people, Sayoc said he did not. However, he admitted that he knew there was a risk they could explode.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO
Cesar Sayoc, 57, (in a court sketch from the Thursday hearing) entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan federal court. He spoke in a halting, shaky voice that often dropped to a whisper. He admitted to sending 16 devices 'designed to look like pipe bombs' consisting of a plastic pipe filled with power from fireworks and fertilizer, a digital clock and wires
After describing what he did, Sayoc broke down in sobs, for several seconds unable to speak. He finally said: 'I know that these actions were wrong and I am extremely sorry'
Sayoc listed the intended recipients of his packages, including former President Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, billionaire investor and Democratic donor George Soros, former Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan, actor Robert DeNiro.
Devices were also mailed to CNN offices in New York and Atlanta.
The bombs began turning up weeks before the hotly contested midterms, contributing to an already tense political environment.
Although the wave of attacks that harmed no one but spread fear of political violence across the U.S. for days leading up to last fall's midterm elections.
In addition to using weapons of mass destruction, the charges include mailing explosives with an intent to kill or injure people or property, and conveying threats through interstate commerce. Sayoc faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced on September 12.
The change-of-plea hearing was revealed last week after a phone conference between prosecutors, Sayoc's lawyers and a judge.
Sayoc has been held without bail since his late-October arrest outside a South Florida auto parts store.
A package addressed to former CIA head John Brennan and an explosive device that was sent to CNN's New York office in October 2018
Cesar Sayoc's van is seen in Boca Raton, Florida, covered in Donald Trump stickers
Sayoc, a part-time pizza deliveryman, grocery worker and former stripper, was arrested in October after a four-day manhunt. At the time, he had been living in a white van plastered with pro-Trump stickers, the slogan 'CNN SUCKS' and images of Democratic leaders with red cross-hairs over their faces.
All of his intended targets are either prominent Democratic politicians or critics of Trump, a Republican.
Prosecutors say evidence against Sayoc included DNA linking him to 10 of the explosive devices and fingerprints on two of them.
Without a plea deal, Sayoc - who has been locked up since October 26 - faced charges carrying a potential penalty of life in prison.
Authorities say the former stripper sent 14 mail bombs to former Secretary of State Clinton, De Niro and Soros, as well as to the CNN headquarters in New York.
All his targets had been critical of Trump.
Former stripper Sayoc was set to go to trial in July on charges that he sent 16 improvised explosive devices through the U.S. mail to victims across the country
In the indictment, prosecutors noted that an improvised explosive mailed to Clinton in Chappaqua, New York, contained a picture of her and members of her family marked with a red 'X'.
The indictment said others targeted by the mailings received similarly marked pictures of themselves along with the explosives.
The charges said he aimed to 'kill, injure and intimidate an individual and unlawfully to damage and destroy a building, vehicle, and other real and person property.'
Prosecutors said in court papers the explosives were packed with glass intended to 'maximize harm to the defendant's victims'.
Sayoc is accused of sending bubble-wrapped manila envelopes to other elite Democrats such as Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
The packages were intercepted from Delaware to California. At least some listed a return address of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Wasserman Schultz represents the Florida district where Sayoc, a former strip club DJ, lived.
A native of New York City's Brooklyn borough and a registered Republican, Sayoc railed against Democrats, Muslims and liberals on Facebook and Twitter. Public records showed that he had been arrested multiple times for domestic violence, theft and other charges, including threatening to bomb an electric company over a billing dispute.
Link hienalouca.comhttps://hienalouca.com/2019/03/22/maga-bomber-cesar-sayoc-weeps-in-court-while-pleading-guilty-to-sending-bombs/
Main photo article
Cesar Sayoc (pictured) pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court on Thursday to sending pipe bombs to prominent critics of President Donald
A Florida man sobbed in court as he pleaded guilty on Thursday to using weapons of mass destruction and other crimes in connection with mailing ...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/21/22/11260940-6833477-Cesar_Sayoc_pictured_pleaded_guilty_in_Manhattan_federal_court_o-m-17_1553208331205.jpg
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий