Judge Says Indictment Returned Against J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect

The Justice Department said recently that Brian Cole Jr. confessed to planting the bombs on Jan. 5, 2021.

This courtroom sketch depicts Brian Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Va., the man accused of planting a pair of pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties on Jan. 5, 2021, in Washington, being sworn in before U.S. Magistrate Moxila Upadhyaya, at Federal Court, as U.S. Attorney Charles Jones, seated left, and Defense Attorney John Shoreman, seated center, look on, in Washington on Dec. 5, 2025. Dana Verkouteren via AP

WASHINGTON—An indictment has been returned against Brian Cole Jr., the Virginia man accused of placing pipe bombs in Washington before the events of Jan. 6, 2021, a judge said on Dec. 30, and complications remain ahead of an expected trial.

During a hearing in Washington, U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh said he didn’t immediately accept the indictment because it was returned by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia rather than the federal court where he was presiding.