MAGA Bomber Sentenced to 20 Years

A federal judge sentenced Cesar Sayoc, the Florida bodybuilder who pleaded guilty to mailing explosives to critics of President Trump, to 20 years in prison Monday. The U.S. Attorney's Office charged Sayoc with 65 felony counts, including use of weapons of mass destruction.

In fall 2018, 13 critics or perceived critics of President Trump, including President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, actor Robert DeNiro, Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Senator Cory Booker and more, received explosive packages from Sayoc, 57. After a four day search, authorities apprehended Sayoc. He pleaded guilty in March 2019.

"I wish more than anything I could turn back time and take back what I did," Sayoc said to U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff. "But I want you to know, Your Honor, with all my heart and soul, I feel the pain and suffering of these victims."

"I am beyond so very sorry for what I did. Now that I am a sober man, I know that I was a sick man. I should have listened to my mother, the love of my life."

(Source: SCMP)

The Daily Dot notes, Sayoc's lawyers argued that their client's actions were the result of steroid abuse, leading to delusional behavior and blind support for President Trump.

In late October 2018, Sayoc sent the country into a state of panic as various critics of President Trump, including 11 members of the government, received explosive packages mailed by Sayoc. Four days later, he was apprehended in Aventura, Florida. After images of his van, decorated with various bumper stickers and images espousing support for Trump and various conspiracy theories, people online began referring to Sayoc as the "MAGA Bomber."

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman wrote in a statement:

For five days in October 2018, Cesar Sayoc rained terror across the country, sending high-ranking officials and former elected leaders explosive packages through the mail. Thankfully no one was hurt by these dangerous devices, but his actions left an air of fear and divisiveness in their wake. Sayoc has taken responsibility for his crimes, and will soon be sentenced to significant time in prison.

The day he was arrested, filmmaker Michael Moore released a video outtake of Sayoc that he filmed while producing his film Farenheit 11/9. He said, "Here in this outtake from “Fahrenheit 11/9” is 3 minutes and 38 seconds of raw, unedited footage -- and you can see what Sayoc had become by early 2017, his body grossly deformed into what he thought a man should be, muscles the size of basketballs, he’s wearing a sleeveless white T-shirt, holding a big anti-CNN sign and, along with his fellow Trumpsters, is yelling at the journalists who had gathered in the media pen."