The US Justice has tightened its formal charges against the alleged sender of letter bombs to prominent critics of President Donald Trump.
A jury in New York yesterday indicted 56-year-old Cesar Altieri Sayoc in 30 counts, including the use of weapons of mass destruction and the use of a „devastating device“ for a violent act, according to Justice and Police officials. Sayoc faces life imprisonment.
Arrested after a daylong search
The former pizza delivery man had been caught in the US state of Florida after days of being searched on October 26, where he lived in a van full of Pro Trump stickers.
Shortly thereafter, the judiciary brought its first formal charges against him, but they only referred to five points and amounted to a maximum sentence of 48 years. Sayoc was then flown to New York a few days later and brought to court earlier this week.
According to indictment sent 16 explosive devices
The prosecution now alleges that Sayoc sent a total of 16 explosive mail to 13 critics of the President. Originally, the investigators were still out of at least 13 explosives.
The addressees of the potentially dangerous programs included former President Barack Obama, ex-vice-president Joe Biden, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, CNN television, multi-billionaire George Soros and Hollywood star Robert De Niro.
Sayoc is a registered Republican and participated in Trump’s election campaigns. The letter bombs and the attack on a synagogue in Pittsburgh with eleven dead had fueled the discussion about Trump’s aggressive rhetoric shortly before the congressional and gubernatorial elections on Tuesday. Many critics accuse the president of paving the way for political violence.
