Cesar Sayoc, 57, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for mailing 16 pipe bombs (pictured) to top Democrats, CNN, and actor Robert Deniro last fall. (Picture: AP/CNN)

The man who mailed over a dozen pipe bombs to top Democrats and CNN has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Cesar Sayoc, dubbed the MAGA bomber, wept as US District Judge Jed Rackoff announced the sentence on Monday, concluding that the bombs were not meant to detonate.

Sayoc, a 57-year-old amateur body builder, pleaded guilty earlier this year to mailing 16 pipe bombs just before the midterm elections last fall.

In court, Sayoc apologized to his victims, who include Hillary Clinton, former vice president Joe Biden, several members of Congress, Barack Obama, and actor Robert Deniro.


Sayoc’s lawyer, Marcus Amelkin, said his client was driven by an obsession with Donald Trump and a delusion that Democrats were to blame for damage to his van, which was covered in Trump stickers.

Cesar Sayoc was arrested in his van in October. He reportedly lived in the van covered with pro-Trump stickers (Picture: Twitter)

Prosecutor Jane Kim said Sayoc ‘set out to terrorize people,’ adding ‘Politics cannot justify a terror attack.’



Moments before he learned his fate, Sayoc told the judge he was ‘beyond so sorry for what I did.’

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He blamed mental illness and trauma from a child sexual assault, as well as steroid abuse and his failure to listen to his mother, who he called ‘the love of (his) life.’

Sayoc said: ‘I was in deep denial. I understand now that I have committed a very serious crime.’

‘I wish more than anything I could turn back time and take back what I did. With all my heart and soul, I feel the pain and suffering of these victims and I will be apologizing to them for the rest of my life.’

Sayoc was arrested in October in his van, where he reportedly lived. He was traced by DNA and phone records after authorities named him as a suspect for making terror threats to judges.