FBI offers $100,000 reward in ricin case
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The postal handling facility in Greenville, South Carolina, where the ricin was found.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI and other federal agencies Thursday offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest of the author or authors of a letter found in a South Carolina post office containing the deadly poison ricin.
The letter included a sealed metal container with a small amount of ricin inside. It was discovered by a processing clerk at a postal facility October 15 in Greenville, South Carolina, but no one was exposed to the poison. (Full story)
The typewritten letter was addressed to the Department of Transportation and demanded that changes in truckers' sleep/work schedules not be implemented.
"I have easy access to castor pulp," the author of the letter wrote, referring to the waste of castor bean processing which can be used to make ricin.
"If my demand is dismissed I'm capable of making ricin," the letter continued. "My demand is simple, January 4, 2004 starts the new hours of service for trucks which include a ridiculous ten hours in the sleeper berth. Keep it at eight or I will start dumping."
Those federal regulations did go into effect Sunday, allowing long haul drivers to be on the road for 11 hours after 10 hours off-duty.
The author, who claimed to be a fleet owner of a tanker company, signed the letter, "Fallen Angel."
The FBI asked anyone with information to call this tip line: 1-866-839-6241.
The DOT, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and office of Inspector General are contributing to the reward.
