Matthew Unglesbee Charged After Mailing Salt To Congress
A 36-year-old man from Illinois is in federal custody after mailing white powder to members of Congress. Matthew G. Unglesbee was charged with two felonies on Monday. He allegedly sent letters containing an unknown white substance to four lawmakers. The FBI says Unglesbee told them the powder was just salt. He claimed he did it as a joke. The suspect admitted he knew the recipients would see the letters as a serious threat.
The trouble started when a tip reached federal agents. An anonymous person told the FBI they overheard Unglesbee at a restaurant. The man said he had mailed suspicious substances to Congress. This tip came in on October 16, according to Fox News. Agents from the Chicago field office rushed to three congressional offices in northern Illinois. They also responded to a fourth office on Friday. One staff member at the first office noticed something was wrong. "A staff member at Congressperson A's office, the first office to receive a letter, noticed that the letter felt like it contained a powder and the staffer could hear something inside the letter," the complaint read. None of the recipients opened the letters.
Inside the envelopes, agents found a white granular substance. They also found handwritten notes. One note simply read "HA HA." A fourth letter included a note saying "HAH enjoy the gift." According to NBC News, Unglesbee admitted to FBI agents on Sunday that he mailed four letters. He said he started the scheme after hearing about other anthrax scares in the news. He told agents the salt was chosen because it "kind of looks like" anthrax. He denied any link to the earlier mailings that caused panic.
Police searched Unglesbee's home in Quincy. They found a fifth envelope there. It was empty and addressed to a member of Congress. The Washington Examiner reports that the defendant was caught because agents used the envelopes to track his location. Unglesbee confessed to putting salt in the letters. He claimed it was a joke, but he knew people would not know that. The FBI lab tested the substance. No chemical or biological toxins were found in the white granular substance. Still, the act was not harmless. It triggered a massive response from law enforcement.
Unglesbee now faces two specific charges. He is charged with false information and hoaxes. He is also charged with mailing threatening communications. He made his initial court appearance on Monday afternoon. A detention hearing is set for Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Springfield. Federal prosecutors are taking this very seriously. Attorney Gregory Gilmore released a statement on the matter. "These threats will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Gilmore said. He thanked the FBI for their work in keeping citizens safe.
This case shows how quickly a "joke" can turn into a federal crime. The law does not care about the intent if the message causes fear. The white powder looked real to the staff members who opened the mail. It triggered 911 calls and a full FBI response. Three offices in one area were locked down. A fourth office was checked later. The system worked to keep people safe, but the disruption was real. According to the complaint, Unglesbee said he was joking yet admitted recipients might not realize the joke and could view it as a threat. That admission is likely what seals his fate.
Sending threats through the mail constitutes a grave federal crime. It does not matter if the powder was salt or sugar.
