Federal authorities have charged an Illinois man with mailing threatening letters containing what he claimed was salt to four members of Congress, a criminal act that comes amid a broader wave of suspicious mailings targeting government officials across the nation.
Matthew Unglesbee faces two federal charges: false information and hoaxes, and mailing threatening communications. He was scheduled to make his initial court appearance Monday afternoon in federal court.
The case represents a troubling instance of deliberate intimidation against elected officials, made all the more brazen by the fact that Unglesbee allegedly included his own name and home address on the return labels of the threatening envelopes.
According to federal authorities, three of the letters contained a white granular substance accompanied by a handwritten note reading “HA HA.” A fourth letter, also containing the white substance, included the message “HAH enjoy the gift.”
During an interview with FBI personnel on Sunday, Unglesbee reportedly admitted to mailing the four letters after learning about similar suspicious mailings sent to congressional offices earlier in the month. The FBI continues to investigate those earlier incidents separately, as part of what appears to be a pattern of threatening correspondence directed at members of Congress and elections officials in recent weeks.
Federal investigators say Unglesbee acknowledged that he understood recipients would perceive the letters as dangerous. He identified the granular substance as salt, which he noted “kind of looks like” anthrax, according to authorities. Unglesbee denied any involvement with the previous mailings that had inspired his actions.
The investigation began when an anonymous tipster contacted the FBI through an online platform on October 16, reporting that they had overheard Unglesbee discussing plans to mail suspicious substances to congressional offices. When the letters arrived at their destinations three days later, federal agents moved quickly to identify and locate the sender.
A search of Unglesbee’s residence uncovered additional evidence: a fifth envelope, unmailed and empty, already addressed to another member of Congress. This discovery suggests the defendant may have been planning further mailings before his arrest.
The charges Unglesbee faces carry serious penalties under federal law. Making threats through the mail and perpetrating hoaxes designed to induce fear of dangerous substances constitute federal crimes, particularly when directed at government officials.
This incident underscores the heightened security concerns facing members of Congress and the sophisticated screening procedures that congressional offices must employ to protect staff and elected officials from potential threats. While this particular case involved a relatively harmless substance, the psychological impact and operational disruption caused by such hoaxes remain significant.
The investigation remains ongoing, and federal authorities have not ruled out additional charges. The FBI continues to examine the broader pattern of threatening mailings to determine whether any connections exist between various incidents targeting government officials across the country.
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