DENVER – A man accused of having pipe bombs in his room at a downtown Denver hotel pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Adam Hayat, 35, entered the plea at a hearing Thursday morning. Hayat is charged with possession of a destructive device not registered to him, for which he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Hayat was arrested in Los Angeles in February after unexploded pipe bombs were allegedly found in the safe of Hayat’s room at the Sheraton Hotel downtown. Investigators said a note written on a mirror referenced post-traumatic stress and the word “explosives.”
Investigators tracked Hayat’s cell phone to a hotel in Los Angeles, where he was arrested without incident.
Prosecutors said Hayat planned to strap the explosives to his waist and blow himself up in Pueblo, according to the Associated Press.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Martinez argued Thursday that Hayat should be held until his trial. The Denver Post reports testimony didn't make clear if Hayat had plans to harm others, and authorities haven't said why he planned to set off the explosives in Pueblo.
His attorney says Hayat is mentally ill and should be moved to a halfway house.
At Thursday’s hearing, the judge ordered that Hayat remain in custody until his trial and receive mental health care while in custody.
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