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Ricin Letter Threats Land Man 300 Months in Prison
A 41-year-old Tupelo man was sentenced to 300 months in prison for developing and possessing the biological agent ricin and mailing threatening letters, including one that threatened bodily harm to the President of the United States.
James Everett Dutschke was sentenced by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock in Aberdeen, Mississippi. The sentence also includes a term of 5 years supervised release. Dutschke pleaded guilty to one count of developing and possessing ricin and three subsequent counts of mailing threatening letters laced with the substance to the President of the United States, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, and Lee County, Mississippi, Justice Court Judge Sadie Holland.
A superseding indictment was filed on Nov. 20, 2013, and Dutschke waived his right to appeal as part of a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Jackson and Memphis Joint Terrorism Task Forces, the U.S. Secret Service, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, the U. S. Capitol Police, and state and local agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Lamar, Clay Joyner, and Clyde McGee of the Northern District of Mississippi, along with Andrew Sigler of the National Security Division, are prosecuting the case. The sentencing was announced by John Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division, Felicia Adams, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Jackson Field Office, and Craig Caldwell, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s Birmingham, AL, District Field Office.
Dutschke was arrested on April 27, 2013, and indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2013. The case is a result of an investigation that involved numerous state and local agencies, including the Mississippi National Guard 47th Civil Support and the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security.
The guilty plea and sentencing of James Everett Dutschke mark the end of a long and complex investigation into the ricin letter threats. The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of biological agents and the importance of swift action in the face of such threats.
A 300 month prison sentence is a serious consequence for anyone who would seek to harm others through threats or violence. In this case, Dutschke’s actions put the lives of several high-profile individuals at risk, and his sentence reflects the gravity of those actions.
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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