Illinois man charged with mailing powder to Congress members

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 23:02 · Archive

A 37-year-old Illinois man is charged with sending threatening letters containing white powder to members of Congress.

Matthew Unglesbee, a 37-year-old from Quincy in southwestern Illinois, has been charged with mailing threatening communications and perpetrating a hoax. According to a federal criminal complaint unsealed on Monday, he sent at least four plain white envelopes containing a powdery substance to elected officials in Chicago. The envelopes were postmarked in Springfield, Illinois, on 19 October and bore Unglesbee's name handwritten in the return address section. One letter contained a note reading 'HAH enjoy the gift.'

When FBI agents interviewed Unglesbee at his home on Sunday, he claimed all the letters contained salt and said he had sent them after hearing someone discuss similar mailings in the news. Testing confirmed the white substance was not dangerous, though the records did not identify what it was. Unglesbee acknowledged he knew the recipients would 'take it serious' because they might perceive the powder as anthrax, which he recognised could trigger a response by hazmat teams. The complaint stated: 'Unglesbee claimed he was joking but recognised the recipients would not know he was joking and could perceive it as a threat.'

Investigators confirmed that none of the recipients opened the letters. The most recent envelope was received on 23 October at the office of a U.S. senator. Unglesbee was scheduled to appear in court on Monday afternoon, though court records did not list a defence attorney.

How it is being reported

• Illinois man charged with mailing white powder to members of CongressCourt records show a 37-year-old Illinois man is charged with sending threatening letters to members of Congress containing a white powder, including one with a note reading “HAH enjoy the gift.”.Clickorlando · 26 Oct, 21:53
• Illinois man charged with mailing white powder to members of CongressCourt records show a 37-year-old Illinois man is charged with sending threatening letters to members of Congress containing a white powder, including one with a note reading “HAH enjoy the gift.”.News4Jax · 26 Oct, 21:53

In this story: Matthew Unglesbee · Congress · Illinois · Quincy · Springfield · Chicago

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