Illinois Man Charged After Mailing White Powder Letters to Four Members of Congress
Photo: The Guardian USAn Illinois man was charged Monday with mailing letters containing white powder to four members of Congress, and he told the FBI the substance was salt, according to a federal criminal complaint. Matthew Unglesbee of Quincy faces charges of perpetrating a hoax and mailing threatening communications. The envelopes were postmarked in Springfield on Oct. 19 and reached district offices in northern Illinois between Oct. 21 and 23. Each held a white granular substance and a handwritten note, either "HA HA" or, in the letter to a senator, "HAH enjoy the gift." Preliminary testing found no biological or chemical toxin. An anonymous tip reached the FBI on Oct. 16 from someone who said they overheard Unglesbee in a restaurant. He admitted in a Sunday interview that he sent the letters, saying salt looks like anthrax and that he knew recipients would take it seriously. He said he meant it as a joke but understood it could be seen as a threat. His name and home address were on the envelopes. He remained in US marshals' custody Tuesday.
The left-leaning Guardian and HuffPost (an AP report) lead with the return address and the court filing. The Guardian adds FBI agent Charis Hobbs's eight-page complaint, the note wording, and that no staffers opened the letters. HuffPost stresses that no defense attorney was listed, the motive was unclear, and Unglesbee said news reports of similar mailings prompted him. The right-leaning Fox News and Just the News also feature the return address and the two felony counts. Fox adds the FBI Chicago response to three offices after a tip and a 911 call, and runs unrelated threat-case items beside the story. Just the News cites CBS News, stresses the joke defense, and notes it is unclear what role the tip played given the real name on the envelopes. Both sides agree on the charges, the salt and the harmless test results. ZeroHedge largely matches them, adding dates and tip details.
How the sides differ Left sources stress the return address, the agent's account and the unopened letters; right sources add the FBI response and the tip, and question its role.
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The Guardian and HuffPost (via AP) lead with the return address and the court filing, citing FBI agent Charis Hobbs's complaint, the unopened letters, the unclear motive and Unglesbee's own account.
ZeroHedge reports the charges, the salt explanation and the notes, adding the dates the letters arrived, the Oct. 16 restaurant tip, and Unglesbee's remarks about hazmat teams.
- Just the NewsIllinois man charged for allegedly sending white powder to members of Congress in Chicago area
Fox News and Just the News stress the two felony charges, the return address and the joke defense. Fox adds the FBI Chicago response and 911 call; Just the News questions the tip's role.