FBI CHARGES ILLINOIS MAN OVER WHITE POWDER LETTERS

Federal prosecutors have charged Matthew Unglesbee of Quincy, Illinois, with mailing threatening communications and perpetrating a hoax over letters containing white powder. A criminal complaint says he sent at least four envelopes to members of Congress, including Brad Schneider. Investigators said none of the recipients opened the letters. FBI agents took Unglesbee into custody at his mother’s home in Quincy on Sunday. The charges were filed on Monday.

The envelopes carried Unglesbee’s name in the return address section and bore Springfield, Illinois, postmarks dated 19 October, according to court records. Schneider said his team spotted one letter in the mail, shut the mailbox and called police. An anonymous tipster had also reported hearing Unglesbee discuss mailing a suspicious substance to members of Congress in a restaurant. An envelope received at a US senator’s office on 23 October contained powder and a handwritten note reading “HAH enjoy the gift”. Investigators said tests found the powder was not dangerous, but the court records did not identify the substance.

Unglesbee told FBI agents the envelopes contained table salt, according to the complaint. He said he had heard about similar mailings earlier in the month and knew recipients might think the powder was anthrax. The complaint said he expected the letters to prompt a response from hazardous materials teams. It quoted him as saying he was joking while recognising that recipients could perceive the letters as a threat. Court records did not list a defence lawyer, and Unglesbee was scheduled to appear in court on Monday afternoon.