Texas Actress Arrested in Obama, Bloomberg Ricin Letter Case

Shannon Richardson had claimed husband sent poison to Obama, Bloomberg.

ByABC News
June 7, 2013, 1:20 PM

June 7, 2013 — -- An actress from Texas was arrested today for allegedly sending poison-laced letters to President Obama and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg last month, federal prosecutors said today.

Texas woman Shannon Richardson, who has appeared on television including a stint as a zombie on "The Walking Dead," originally called the FBI claiming her husband was the person who sent a series of letters laced with small amounts of the toxin ricin to Obama, Bloomberg and Bloomberg's top gun control lobbyist in Washington, D.C. in late May.

But today court documents allege it was Richardson, not her husband, who mailed the letters. She was arrested and made her first court appearance today. If convicted, Richardson faces up to 10 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.

Officials originally said all three letters had the same anti-gun control message, but court documents show that after the first two sentences, the letter for Obama gets a little more personal.

"You will have to kill me and my family before you get my guns. Anyone wants to come to my house will get shot in the face. I served in the united states army and because your muslim a** will probly never be able to retire. i will have to work until I take my last breath. I deserve better and so do my wife and kiddos. I will take care of this myself and make sure you wont be runnin this country in the ground any further. What's in this letter is nothing compared to what ive got in store for you mr president [sic]," that letter said, according to an investigator's affidavit.

Except in the gun control lobbyist's case, the letters did not reach their intended targets. The gun control lobbyist, Mark Glaze, opened his letter but immediately called authorities when he noticed the suspicious substance. Later, the U.S. Postal Service said the letters did not pose a health threat.

SEE: Exclusive Images of Ricin-Laced Letter to Bloomberg

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