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Mississippi man charged in US ricin letters inquiry | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A man has been arrested in Mississippi and charged in connection with the sending of letters containing ricin to President Obama, a senator and a judge. | |
Everett Dutschke was detained at home in Tupelo on Saturday and handed over to US Marshals, police said. | |
Mr Dutschke has been charged with possessing a biological agent with intent to use as a weapon. | |
He has links to a man against whom charges were filed and later dropped, as well as the senator and judge. | He has links to a man against whom charges were filed and later dropped, as well as the senator and judge. |
Ricin is a naturally occurring protein, found in the castor oil plant, which is highly toxic. It is 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide. | Ricin is a naturally occurring protein, found in the castor oil plant, which is highly toxic. It is 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide. |
List of names | List of names |
Tupelo Police Chief Tony Carleton said Mr Dutschke was taken into custody without incident at 01:00 (06:00 GMT) on Saturday. His home had been under surveillance since Friday afternoon. | |
A law enforcement official told WTVA that the 41-year-old was being held at the Lafayette County Detention Center. | |
The US Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Mississippi said in a press release that Mr Dutschke had been charged with developing, producing and possessing "a biological agent, toxin and delivery system for use as a weapon, to wit: ricin". | |
If convicted of the federal charge, he faces a maximum life term in jail and a $250,000 fine. | |
The office said Mr Dutschke was expected to appear in a district court in Mississippi on Monday. | |
Agents from the FBI and the US Capitol Police, as well as members of an anti-terrorist response team from the Mississippi National Guard, had searched Mr Dutschke's home on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as the premises of a former martial arts studio he ran in Tupelo. | |
Attention turned to Mr Dutschke after charges were dropped on Tuesday against Paul Kevin Curtis, a local Elvis impersonator. | Attention turned to Mr Dutschke after charges were dropped on Tuesday against Paul Kevin Curtis, a local Elvis impersonator. |
A search of Mr Curtis' home in nearby Corinth revealed no evidence to suggest he had sent the ricin-laced letters to President Obama, Senator Roger Wicker and Mississippi Judge Sadie Holland, officials said. | A search of Mr Curtis' home in nearby Corinth revealed no evidence to suggest he had sent the ricin-laced letters to President Obama, Senator Roger Wicker and Mississippi Judge Sadie Holland, officials said. |
Hal Neilson, a lawyer for Mr Curtis, said Mr Dutschke's name had been submitted on a list of people who might have had a reason to hurt his client. | Hal Neilson, a lawyer for Mr Curtis, said Mr Dutschke's name had been submitted on a list of people who might have had a reason to hurt his client. |
Mr Curtis said he had worked with Mr Dutschke several years ago, and that they had discussed publishing a book called Missing Pieces, about an alleged conspiracy to sell body parts on the black market. Mr Dutschke decided not to publish the material, Mr Curtis added. | Mr Curtis said he had worked with Mr Dutschke several years ago, and that they had discussed publishing a book called Missing Pieces, about an alleged conspiracy to sell body parts on the black market. Mr Dutschke decided not to publish the material, Mr Curtis added. |
But Mr Dutschke told the Associated Press that he did not know Mr Curtis well, and that the last time they had contact was in 2010. | But Mr Dutschke told the Associated Press that he did not know Mr Curtis well, and that the last time they had contact was in 2010. |
Judge Holland's family is reported to have confronted Mr Dutschke at a political rally in the town of Verona in 2007, when he ran as a Republican against her son, Steve Holland, a Democratic state representative. Mr Holland said Mr Dutschke had made a derogatory speech about the Holland family, and that his mother had forced him to apologise. | Judge Holland's family is reported to have confronted Mr Dutschke at a political rally in the town of Verona in 2007, when he ran as a Republican against her son, Steve Holland, a Democratic state representative. Mr Holland said Mr Dutschke had made a derogatory speech about the Holland family, and that his mother had forced him to apologise. |
Mr Dutschke said Steve Holland had exaggerated the incident, telling AP: "Everybody loves Sadie, including me." | Mr Dutschke said Steve Holland had exaggerated the incident, telling AP: "Everybody loves Sadie, including me." |
He is also reported to know Senator Wicker. | He is also reported to know Senator Wicker. |