Twenty Years in Prison for Anthrax Hoax Defendant

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Timothy Cloud, 63, a transient, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 20 years in prison. Cloud pleaded guilty in May to sending anthrax hoax letters, threatening President Obama, and failing to register as a sex offender.

According to Cloud’s plea agreement, he admitted sending hoax mailings addressed to Social Security Administration (SSA) offices in Baltimore, Md.; Kansas City, Mo.; and New York, NY. Each of these mailings contained a white powdery substance to simulate anthrax and an index card with the words “you stole my money” and “die.” As a result of the mailing to the New York office, all employees were evacuated, and four were quarantined.

Cloud also admitted to sending a letter to President Obama contained a white powder to simulate anthrax and an index card with the words, “You are just another lying politision,” [sic] with cross hairs between “not this time” and “maybe next time,” and a newspaper photo of President Obama with cross hairs hand drawn over his face.

Cloud also admitted that, by virtue of a conviction in Texas, he was required to register as a sex offender in California and that he did not do so.

In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, Judge Shubb ordered that Cloud, upon his release from prison, serve a 10-year period of supervised release.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Stegman prosecuted the case.