Trump Supporter Who Sent Pipe Bombs To Trump's Political Opponents Gets 20 Year Prison Sentence

Cesar Sayoc (mug shot)

NBC News reports Cesar Sayoc, an ardent Trump supporter who pleaded guilty to sending more than a dozen pipe bombs to prominent critics of President Donald Trump last year, was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison.

Sayoc sent homemade pipe bombs bundled with glass shards to prominent Democrats including Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama.

The series of mailed pipe bombs, which prosecutors described in court papers as "a domestic terror attack," spurred a nationwide scare last year.

He was arrested on Oct. 26 outside an auto-parts store near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sayoc was living out of a white van plastered with stickers praising Trump and slogans condemning liberals and the media. He would shower at the gym where he works out, a Florida-based cousin previously told NBC News.

From Oct. 22 to Nov. 2, the FBI and U.S. Postal Service recovered 16 manila padded envelopes containing improvised explosive devices that were believed to have been sent by Sayoc from Florida, prosecutors said.

Sayoc is also accused of sending the devices, or addressing them to be sent, to former Vice President Joe Biden; former Attorney General Eric Holder; former CIA Director John Brennan; Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; activist Tom Steyer; and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

Sayoc had faced a possible sentence of life in prison.

Police reportedly found a list of more than 100 additional possible targets.

A cousin describes Sayoc to NBC News as a "lost soul" and a "loose cannon" who abused steroids.

MAGAbomber Asks For Leniency Since None Of His Bombs Exploded

Cesar Sayoc Jr. (photo: Broward Country Sheriff's Dept)

After pleading guilty to 65 felony counts regarding sending bomb-like devices to prominent Democrats, the 'MAGAbomber' - Cesar Sayoc Jr. - faces life in prison.

Sayoc listed among his targets Hillary Clinton, former CIA Director Jonn Brennan, actor Robert DeNiro, ex-President Barack Obama, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), former Attorney General Eric Holder, Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California), hedge-fund billionaire Tom Steyer and CNN.

But his legal team says that he should receive no more than 10 years and one month in prison for sending what they call "hoax devices."

From the New York Post:

Public defenders representing Sayoc, 57, note that the FBI released a report last week stating that the devices Sayoc sent to 13 targets “were not functional as bombs” and that no one was hurt. He sent what he thought were duds after months of suffering from “delusional” beliefs and using copious amounts of steroids, the attorneys argue.

“In Mr. Sayoc’s mind, he was sending a hoax device, and he had no true grasp of the severity of his crimes or the potential ramifications of his actions,” the attorneys wrote. Sayoc faces a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and is scheduled to be sentenced by Manhattan federal court Judge Jed Rakoff on Aug. 5.

They also argue that Sayoc is an outsize fan of President Donald Trump — and that he “became increasingly obsessive, paranoid, and angry” in the months leading up to the 2018 midterm elections, believing that anti-Trump forces had vandalized a “decrepit and cramped” van he was living in at the time that was plastered with pro-Trump messages and images.

Sayoc's attorneys also point to steroid use, alleged sexual abuse as a preteen and college panic attacks as mitigating circumstances that lead to his behavior.

Prosecutors say that even though the devices didn't work properly, they did involve real explosives, shards of glass, and toxic chemicals.

At the time of his arrest, Sayoc was living in a white van covered with pro-Trump images and messages, and others attacking Trump's critics — including ones that showed red crosshairs over Obama and Clinton.

Sayoc says he's really, really sorry.

Cesar Sayoc Jr. Charged With 5 Counts For Bombing Campaign Against Trump Critics

Cesar Sayoc, Jr. (via Facebook)

Cesar Sayoc Jr., of Aventura, Florida, has been arrested and charged in the bombing campaign that has targeted prominent Democratic figures.

From The New York Times:

At a news conference in Washington on Friday afternoon, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that Mr. Sayoc had been charged with five federal crimes, including the interstate transportation of an explosive, the illegal mailing of explosives and making a threat against a former president and others.

Mr. Sayoc is a registered Republican whose arrest record in Florida dates back to 1991 and includes felony theft, drug and fraud charges, as well as allegations that he threatened to use a bomb, public records show.

According to a 2012 bankruptcy petition filed in Miami, Mr. Sayoc resided at the time at his mother’s home. “Lives w/mom,” a handwritten note on the petition said. “Has no furniture.”

The Times reports that DNA samples on two of the bombs matched a DNA sample from Sayoc from a previous arrest.

Additionally, a finger print was found on one of the bombs that matched Sayoc.

At a press conference today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions was asked why all of the targets were political opponents of Donald Trump. Sessions said he was not sure, but added that the suspect “appears to be a partisan.”

Oh, really? Check out the picture at the top of this post. Yeah, I'd call that 'partisan.'

The charges include interstate transportation of an explosive, illegal mailing of explosives, threats against former presidents and other persons, threatening interstate commerce and assaulting federal officers.’

If convicted, the 56-year-old faces up to 58 years in prison.

Sayoc has reportedly denied any role in the bombing campaign.

So far, bombs have been found to have been sent to these perceived political opponents of Donald Trump: President Obama; former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.; former Secretary of State Clinton; Rep. Maxine Waters fo California; former Attorney General Eric Holder; John O. Brennan, a former C.I.A. director, the actor Robert De Niro; Sen. Kamala Harris of California; Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey; James Clapper, former director of national intelligence; Tom Steyer, a prominent Democratic donor and George Soros, the billionaire Democratic donor.

It appears driving around in his van plastered with Trump propaganda had become unfulfilling.

Because how nutty does this look???

Sayoc appears to have heard the clarion call of his leader who, with a wink and a nod, has been inciting violence for some time.

Trump created the 'alternate reality' this guy lives in. Don't for one second not believe that.

Note to right wing talkers:
No it wasn’t a left-winger, bent on making the @GOP look bad. It was exactly what it appeared to be: a right-wing maniac, taking it upon himself to act on the president’s enemies list.

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) October 26, 2018

Let’s be clear:

A Trump supporter named Cesar Sayoc has been arrested after attempting to assassinate two former Democratic presidents of the United States. And he was incited to commit this crime by the white Nationalist occupying the Oval Office.#VoteBlueToSaveAmerica 🇺🇸

— Ryan Knight 🌊 (@ProudResister) October 26, 2018

CNN digs up video of Cesar Sayoc at an early 2017 Trump rally carrying an anti-CNN banner. pic.twitter.com/ZwRqM9MApZ

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) October 26, 2018