Winterset Man Sentenced for Mailing Threatening Letters

DES MOINES, IA—On May 27, 2011, United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt announced that William David Langford, of Winterset, Iowa was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for charges pertaining to his utilization of the United States Mail to send threatening communications to individuals and organizations in Winterset, Iowa in February of 2010.

Langford plead guilty to count one of the indictment in February 2011, and admitted to mailing an envelope containing a written death threat and a white powder, with the intent to falsely convey the transfer of a harmful biological agent or toxin. As part of his guilty plea to count six of the indictment, Langford also admitted to separately mailing letters threatening to injure a named individual to nine different individuals and organizations.

In addition to the prison sentence, Langford was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,949.50 and a $200 special assessment. The court also ordered Langford to submit to a two-year period of supervision upon his release from prison.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Des Moines Resident Agency, the Winterset Police Department, the Des Moines Fire Department-Hazardous Materials Response Team, the Madison County Emergency Coordinator, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety.