James Dutschke Charged in Ricin Case

OXFORD, MS—Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, announce that James Everett Dutschke, age 41, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with knowingly developing, producing, stockpiling, transferring, acquiring, retaining, and possessing a biological agent, toxin, and delivery system for use as a weapon, to wit: ricin; and with attempting, threatening, and conspiring to do the same, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 175(a). If convicted on this charge, Dutschke faces maximum possible penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.

Dutschke is expected to appear in the United States District Court in Oxford, Mississippi, on Monday, April 29, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander. The arrest is based on a federal charge. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The arrest resulted from a cooperative investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Mississippi and Memphis Joint Terrorism Task Forces, the United States Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Capitol Police, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, assisted by the following state and local agencies: Mississippi National Guard 47th Civil Support, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office, Corinth Police Department, Tupelo Police Department, and Booneville Police Department.

The public is reminded to be vigilant in alerting any suspicious letters or activity to the appropriate authorities.