30-Count Indictment Filed Against Mail Bomb Suspect Cesar Sayoc

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — The man accused of sending pipe bombs to prominent critics of President Trump has been indicted on charges carrying a potential penalty of life in prison.

The 30-count indictment in Manhattan federal court was filed on Friday against Cesar Sayoc.

Prosecutors followed through on a promise to upgrade the charges with an indictment that led with the five original counts, alleging use of a weapon of mass destruction. The document said Sayoc mailed 16 improvised explosive devices though the U.S. mail to victims across the country.

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."

None of the devices — some of which arrived at New York addresses — exploded.

Sayoc appeared in a New York court on Tuesday. He was ordered held without bail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Kim said the 56-year-old was a serious risk to the public and was a flight risk.

Prosecutors say evidence against Sayoc includes DNA linking him to 10 of the explosive devices and fingerprints on two of them.

• Who Is Cesar Sayoc? What We Know About The Suspicious Package Suspect So Far
• Timeline Of Terror: Democrats Targeted With Explosive Devices
• How To Spot A Suspicious Package
• More On Explosive Device Mailings

The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. It has not been announced when Sayoc will be arraigned. At that time, he will enter a plea to the charges.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)