Warren Man Jailed for Mailing Hoax Powder to Ex-Employer

A Warren man has been locked up for sending a menacing envelope laced with white powder to his former employer, a stunt that triggered a hazardous response and cost taxpayers and the business over $24,000. Anthony J. Natale, 38, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to conveying false information related to a weapon of mass destruction.

The package arrived at American Business Center, located at 7677 South Avenue in Youngstown, on November 10, 2014 — just over a month after Natale was fired from the company on October 6, according to court records. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI say the mailing was deliberate, intended to terrorize employees and simulate a chemical threat using nothing more than a common household powder.

Though no explosive or toxic substance was found, the scare forced emergency protocols, evacuations, and a full hazmat response. First responders from multiple agencies were deployed, racking up $14,361.90 in operational costs. The business, American Business Center, incurred $9,834.13 in damages and lost productivity, which Natale is now ordered to repay in full.

Natale, who admitted guilt in federal court, faces three years of supervised probation upon release. He must also pay a $100 special assessment on top of restitution. The case underscores how federal authorities treat hoax threats with the same gravity as real ones — especially when they exploit the fear associated with weapons of mass destruction.

The FBI’s Cleveland Field Office, led by Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony, ran the investigation alongside the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould prosecuted, pushing for accountability in a case that disrupted public safety and exploited the postal system for personal vengeance.

U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon emphasized that threats — real or fake — carry serious consequences. “This wasn’t a prank,” she said. “It was a crime that endangered workers, wasted critical resources, and violated federal law.” Natale’s sentencing sends a clear message: mess with public safety, and the feds will come knocking.

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