Cesar Sayoc Jr., who pleaded guilty to mailing multiple explosive devices to prominent Democratic and media figures, is citing President Trump as a role model.
“I have to thank Donald J. Trump ... for saving my life,” said Sayoc in a hand-written letter to the federal judge who will sentence him. Sayoc, 57, was arrested in South Florida in October 2018. He plastered stickers across his white van touting Trump, alongside images of the president’s critics with red targets over their faces.
In the April 23 letter to Jed S. Rakoff, senior judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Sayoc claimed Trump’s “self help” material and the work of several other authors kept him from committing suicide.
He said his depression and suicidal thoughts occurred after a Catholic priest at his school in Mississippi molested him and he was only offered $6,000 to keep quiet about the incident.
Sayoc was arrested after he sent a series of bombs to major Democratic figures, including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and liberal billionaire and Democratic donor George Soros.
He pleaded guilty last month to 65 felonies of 16 different explosive devices he sent through the mail.
Sayoc said he knew nothing of politics, seeing Trump as a playboy and real estate reality TV star before attending Trump rallies which “became like a new found drug.” Sayoc said he was inspired to send the bombs after the vicious attacks by the Left on Trump and conservatives.