US mail bomb suspect pleads not guilty to charges in New York

If convicted Sayoc faces a sentence of life in prison, trial is due to begin on July 15 2019.

NEW YORK CITY: The man charged with mailing bombs to prominent Democrats and other critics of US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to all 30 charges against him in a federal court in New York.

If convicted, he faces a sentence of life in prison. He had previously faced five counts carrying a maximum prison sentence of 48 years. Sayoc’s trial is due to begin on July 15 2019.



Sayoc, of Aventura, Florida, was arrested on Friday for allegedly mailing at least 13 explosive devices to leading Democratic figures, former high-ranking officials and others, FBI Director Christopher Wray said.

A registered Republican with a criminal history and reported past as a stripper, Sayoc has been arrested several times previously, including in Miami-Dade County in 2002 for making a bomb threat against a power company, according to court records available online. He was sentenced to a year on probation. He has also been arrested for theft and domestic violence.



Sayoc, who sometimes goes by the name Cesar Altieri, also has a history of financial problems and filed for bankruptcy in 2012, according to county records.

Sayoc’s political leanings are on full display on his Facebook page, his Twitter accounts and his impounded white van – which was covered with pro-Trump decals and anti-Democrat stickers.