May 12 (UPI) — An Ohio man has been charged with federal crimes for threatening violence in dozens of letters and emails directed at state officials, law enforcement and the media, according to the Justice Department.
Ronald Lidderdale, 39, was charged Friday with making interstate communications with “a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, false information and hoaxes and cyberstalking.”
According to charging documents, Lidderdale is accused of sending more than 49 letters containing suspicious white powders, which he claimed was Ricin. Another letter contained a 9mm bullet with the last name of a public official etched on it.
In the dozens of letters mailed between July and August, Lidderdale is accused of threatening violence against each recipient, saying, “I will kill you for your ignorant loyalty to your pedophilic party” or “I will kill you for the good of The People. Your death will come when you least expect it,” according to court documents.
Court documents also say the New Albany man recently sent a letter to a local TV station, as well as emails to local law enforcement, outlining his alleged plans to kill eight individuals this month.
Last week, Lidderdale told the FBI that the letters and emails were meant to incite fear with the goal of changing behavior, according to agents.
If convicted, Lidderdale could face years in federal prison. The maximum penalty for mailing threatening communications is up to 10 years in prison. The penalty for making interstate communications, with a threat to kidnap or injure, conveying false information and cyberstalking are also federal crimes and punishable by up to five years in prison.
“Targeting public officials with threatening messages and substances is a serious federal crime that won’t go unpunished,” said FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena latarola.
“FBI agents worked closely with our local, state and federal partners to investigate these incidents and arrest the suspected offender.”
