Mail bomb suspect to appear in New York court on Tuesday
Cesar Altieri Sayoc is pictured in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. in this August 2015 handout booking photo obtained by Reuters October 26, 2018. Broward County Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The south Florida man accused of mailing pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and other critics of U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to make his first appearance in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, after his case was moved to New York from Florida.
Cesar Sayoc is scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. EST (3 p.m. GMT) before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Lehrburger, according to a letter on Monday from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors have accused Sayoc of sending 16 improvised explosive devices to people like former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Joseph Biden and billionaire investor George Soros, as well as to CNN.
Sayoc is a former stripper and pizza delivery driver who lived in a white van festooned with right-wing political images supporting Trump and lambasting his critics.
He was arrested on Oct. 26, and faces a maximum 48 years in prison if convicted on the five counts he now faces, including for mailing explosives and threatening the Clintons.
Prosecutors have said Sayoc is likely to face additional charges and penalties as their investigation proceeds, and should be detained pending trial because he is dangerous and a flight risk.
Sayoc agreed on Friday to have his case moved to New York.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
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