After three days of similar suspicious packages containing explosive devices turning up across the country, the Department of Justice confirmed 56-year-old Cesar Sayoc Jr. was arrested in connection with sending the pipe bombs.
Sayoc was taken into custody in Plantation, Florida, at an auto parts store around 10:30 a.m. on Friday. A white van, which was parked at the scene of Sayoc's arrest, was towed by law enforcement officials. Photos from the scene show the van was covered with a blue tarp before being towed. It's unclear if Sayoc is the owner of the van.
Along the windows of the van were what appeared to be stickers or decals of various photos of President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and those who have been critical of the president.
LOOK: High resolution photo shows political stickers covering windows of white van found near Plantation, Florida site where mail bombing suspect was arrested https://t.co/QOC2JDvOIU pic.twitter.com/E72CUd0FSt
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 26, 2018
A high-resolution photo CBS News posted on Twitter showed one of the decals showed Trump's face inside of what appeared to be a mock-up of the Oval Office seal. Pence also appeared in a sticker on the van and some seemed to be images taken from speeches the president and vice president conducted.
Multiple people shared photos of the van from different angles, including freelance journalist Lesley Abravanel, who posted a photo of the van on Twitter, showing one side of the car. Photos on what appeared to be the right side of the van showed former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and filmmaker Michael Moore with red targets on their faces. Another sticker showed Trump standing on a tank in front of an explosion.
Other stickers broadcast the words "CNN Sucks" and the words, "I am Donald Trump and I Approve This Message."
OMG. My husband just called and said "Remember that picture I texted you of that crazy Trump van that delivered lunch to my office? THAT WAS THE GUY!" This is the picture he sent me of the van parked at his office on November 1, 2017. #FloridaMan @FBI pic.twitter.com/18BimNzNhi
— Lesley Abravanel🆘 (@lesleyabravanel) October 26, 2018
At least 11 packages with the return address of Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz have been discovered by law enforcement and were addressed to various prominent Democratic figures. Recipients of the packages included:
- Senator Cory Booker: One found in Florida
- Former Vice President Joe Biden: Two found in Delaware
- Representative Maxine Waters: Two found, one in Maryland and one in California
- Democratic Billionaire George Soros: One found in New York
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: One found in New York
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder: One found in Florida
- Former CIA Director John Brennan, care of CNN: One found in New York
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo: One found in New York
- Actor Robert De Niro: One found in New York
Each of the packages was sent in a manila envelope with several American flag stickers placed in the corner. The return address was listed as Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Inside, a law enforcement source told Newsweek was a "viable explosive device." Fortunately, in all cases, the package was identified and handed over to law enforcement officials before anyone was harmed.
In a statement released on Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray called investigating the packages the agency's "highest priority" and ensured that the perpetrator or perpetrators would be held accountable. Press secretary Sarah Sanders posted a statement on Twitter condemning the attacks and called them "despicable."
