In Pics | Supporters gather in Miami as Trump makes court appearance

The 56-year-old Florida man accused of mailing 15 pipe bomb packages to high-profile critics of President Donald Trump will appear at a pretrial detention hearing in Miami on Friday morning.

Cesar Sayoc, a former male stripper, pizza delivery driver and DJ who lived in a white van festooned with right-wing political images supporting Trump and lambasting his critics, will appear before a federal magistrate.

Sayoc faces five charges and a maximum penalty of 48 years in prison for bombs sent to targets including former President Barack Obama, ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, other prominent political figures and CNN.

Prosecutors said more charges were likely.

Investigators said they had evidence that Sayoc began planning his attacks in July.

If presiding US Magistrate Edwin Torres agrees with prosecutors from the Southern District of New York, Sayoc will not be allowed bail on Friday and after the hearing would be transferred to New York to face charges.

The pipe bomb story dominated US news for much of last week, ending when federal agents arrested Sayoc in the parking lot of an auto parts store in a Fort Lauderdale suburb.

The hearing comes during the closing days of highly charged political campaigns across the country leading up to Nov. 6 U.S. midterm elections. The result will determine the balance of power in Congress, currently controlled by Trump's Republican Party.

Sayoc was arrested days after the first of the pipe bombs inside padded manila envelopes was discovered in the mailbox of billionaire and Democratic donor George Soros north of New York City.

No one has been injured, but investigators with the FBI have said that at least some of the pipe bombs could have caused great harm. All of the bombs were sent through the US&nbsp;Postal Service.

"The evidence of the defendant's terror campaign is still being collected but is already overwhelming," wrote Geoffrey Berman, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in a letter to Torres dated Tuesday.

The 56-year-old Florida man accused of mailing 15 pipe bomb packages to high-profile critics of President Donald Trump will appear at a pretrial detention hearing in Miami on Friday morning.

The 56-year-old Florida man accused of mailing 15 pipe bomb packages to high-profile critics of President Donald Trump will appear at a pretrial detention hearing in Miami on Friday morning. Cesar Sayoc, a former male stripper, pizza delivery driver and DJ who lived in a white van festooned with right-wing political images supporting Trump and lambasting his critics, will appear before a federal magistrate. Sayoc faces five charges and a maximum penalty of 48 years in prison for bombs sent to targets including former President Barack Obama, ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, other prominent political figures and CNN. Prosecutors said more charges were likely. Investigators said they had evidence that Sayoc began planning his attacks in July. If presiding US Magistrate Edwin Torres agrees with prosecutors from the Southern District of New York, Sayoc will not be allowed bail on Friday and after the hearing would be transferred to New York to face charges. The pipe bomb story dominated US news for much of last week, ending when federal agents arrested Sayoc in the parking lot of an auto parts store in a Fort Lauderdale suburb. The hearing comes during the closing days of highly charged political campaigns across the country leading up to Nov. 6 U.S. midterm elections. The result will determine the balance of power in Congress, currently controlled by Trump's Republican Party. Sayoc was arrested days after the first of the pipe bombs inside padded manila envelopes was discovered in the mailbox of billionaire and Democratic donor George Soros north of New York City. No one has been injured, but investigators with the FBI have said that at least some of the pipe bombs could have caused great harm. All of the bombs were sent through the US Postal Service. "The evidence of the defendant's terror campaign is still being collected but is already overwhelming," wrote Geoffrey Berman, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in a letter to Torres dated Tuesday.

US mail bomb suspect faces pretrial hearing in Miami court

A former male stripper and part-time pizza deliveryman suspected of mailing at least 14 pipe bombs to some of US President Donald Trump's leading critics, including former president Barack Obama, was due in federal court in Miami, Monday.

The Brooklyn-born Cesar Sayoc, 56, is charged with five felony counts - interstate transportation and illegal mailing of explosives, threatening a former president, making threatening interstate communications and assaulting federal officers.

The case is expected to be moved to New York, where he will be prosecuted by the US Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, officials said.

Sayoc has been held without bond since he was taken into custody in South Florida Friday by federal agents after a four-day nationwide manhunt for the person who sent homemade pipe bombs to Trump critics including Obama and former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom Trump defeated in the 2016 presidential race.

Sayoc's alleged actions have heightened tensions during the closing days of a highly contentious campaign ahead of the November 6 mid-term elections in which Democrats are battling to seize control of Congress now held by Trump's Republican Party.

A registered Republican, Sayoc's political views were evident on social media, railing against Democrats, Muslims and liberals in Facebook and Twitter posts.

But Trump's supporters have accused Democrats of unfairly suggesting that the president was to blame for the bomb scares, and Trump himself accused the press of using coverage of the investigation to score political points against him.

After first calling for unity at a recent White House event, Trump lamented partisan attacks against him and again pointed at the media.

"I get attacked all the time ... I can do the greatest thing for our country, and on the networks and on different things it will show bad," he told the crowd, acknowledging an attendee who shouted "fake news."

Public records show that Sayoc has numerous arrests over the years for domestic violence, theft and other charges, including the alleged bomb threat against a utility company.

Sayoc was arrested Friday outside an auto parts store in Plantation, Florida, near Miami, and authorities also seized a white van that Sayoc appeared to live in.

The van's windows were plastered with pro-Trump stickers, the slogan "CNN SUCKS" and images of Democratic leaders with red cross-hairs over their faces, echoing the rancor of one of the most toxic election campaigns in decades.

Fingerprint and DNA evidence helped identify the suspect, officials said, but they were uncertain if additional bombs were made.

The bombs were sent in manila envelopes lined with bubble wrap and consisted of plastic 6-inch pipes packed with explosive material and wired to small clocks and batteries, a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court said.

Some of the recovered parcels contained photographs of the intended recipients marked with a red X.

The complaint accused Sayoc of sending 13 bombs to 11 individuals, starting with billionaire Democratic donor George Soros. A package surfaced on Monday near his home in Katonah, New York.

A 14th package was found on Friday at a post office outside San Francisco addressed to another wealthy contributor to the Democratic Party and liberal causes, Tom Steyer.

All were sent through the US Postal Service system and intercepted before reaching their intended targets without exploding. No one has been hurt.

A public defender listed as Sayoc's attorney of record in New York, Sarah Baumgartel, could not immediately be reached for comment.

A former male stripper and part-time pizza deliveryman suspected of mailing at least 14 pipe bombs to some of US President Donald Trump's leading critics, including former president Barack Obama, was due in federal court in Miami, Monday.

A former male stripper and part-time pizza deliveryman suspected of mailing at least 14 pipe bombs to some of US President Donald Trump's leading critics, including former president Barack Obama, was due in federal court in Miami, Monday. The Brooklyn-born Cesar Sayoc, 56, is charged with five felony counts - interstate transportation and illegal mailing of explosives, threatening a former president, making threatening interstate communications and assaulting federal officers. The case is expected to be moved to New York, where he will be prosecuted by the US Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, officials said. Sayoc has been held without bond since he was taken into custody in South Florida Friday by federal agents after a four-day nationwide manhunt for the person who sent homemade pipe bombs to Trump critics including Obama and former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom Trump defeated in the 2016 presidential race. Sayoc's alleged actions have heightened tensions during the closing days of a highly contentious campaign ahead of the November 6 mid-term elections in which Democrats are battling to seize control of Congress now held by Trump's Republican Party. A registered Republican, Sayoc's political views were evident on social media, railing against Democrats, Muslims and liberals in Facebook and Twitter posts. But Trump's supporters have accused Democrats of unfairly suggesting that the president was to blame for the bomb scares, and Trump himself accused the press of using coverage of the investigation to score political points against him. After first calling for unity at a recent White House event, Trump lamented partisan attacks against him and again pointed at the media. "I get attacked all the time ... I can do the greatest thing for our country, and on the networks and on different things it will show bad," he told the crowd, acknowledging an attendee who shouted "fake news." Public records show that Sayoc has numerous arrests over the years for domestic violence, theft and other charges, including the alleged bomb threat against a utility company. Sayoc was arrested Friday outside an auto parts store in Plantation, Florida, near Miami, and authorities also seized a white van that Sayoc appeared to live in. The van's windows were plastered with pro-Trump stickers, the slogan "CNN SUCKS" and images of Democratic leaders with red cross-hairs over their faces, echoing the rancor of one of the most toxic election campaigns in decades. Fingerprint and DNA evidence helped identify the suspect, officials said, but they were uncertain if additional bombs were made. The bombs were sent in manila envelopes lined with bubble wrap and consisted of plastic 6-inch pipes packed with explosive material and wired to small clocks and batteries, a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court said. Some of the recovered parcels contained photographs of the intended recipients marked with a red X. The complaint accused Sayoc of sending 13 bombs to 11 individuals, starting with billionaire Democratic donor George Soros. A package surfaced on Monday near his home in Katonah, New York. A 14th package was found on Friday at a post office outside San Francisco addressed to another wealthy contributor to the Democratic Party and liberal causes, Tom Steyer. All were sent through the US Postal Service system and intercepted before reaching their intended targets without exploding. No one has been hurt. A public defender listed as Sayoc's attorney of record in New York, Sarah Baumgartel, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Suspected mail bomber Cesar Sayoc headed to Miami court 

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In Pics | Supporters gather in Miami as Trump makes court appearance

US mail bomb suspect faces pretrial hearing in Miami court

Suspected mail bomber Cesar Sayoc headed to Miami court