Dutschke Charged in Ricin Case

James Everett Dutschke

James Everett Dutschke, the Tupelo man who became the focus of a federal investigation into ricin laser letters mailed to President Barack Obama and Senator Roger Wicker after charges were dismissed against Paul Kevin Curtis, has been arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with the crime.

According to a press statement distributed to media early Saturday by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, the federal complaint against Dutschke charges him with knowingly developing, producing, stockpiling, transferring, acquiring, retaining and possessing the biological agent ricin, a deadly poison that, when weaponized,  has no known antidote.

If convicted, Dutschke faces maximum possible penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000
fine and 5 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.