Man charged over salt threat letters

Matthew Unglesbee appeared in court on Monday afternoon for his initial hearing on two federal charges. Prosecutors accuse the Illinois resident of mailing four envelopes containing a white granular substance to members of Congress. Each envelope bore his name and home address.

The first three letters contained threatening notes. The fourth included a handwritten note that read, “HAH enjoy the gift.” A separate handwritten letter simply said, “HA HA.” Unglesbee faces charges of false information and hoaxes, as well as mailing threatening communications.

According to the FBI, Unglesbee admitted to sending the mailings during a Sunday interview. He stated that he learned about other suspicious letters mailed earlier in the month and decided to send his own. He identified the granular substance as salt, explaining that it “kind of looks like” anthrax. He denied any connection to those earlier incidents.

Agents searched Unglesbee’s residence and found a fifth empty envelope addressed to a member of Congress. The envelope had not been mailed. The case originated from an anonymous online tip received on Oct. 16. The tipster reported overhearing Unglesbee discuss mailing a suspicious substance to lawmakers.

The FBI investigated after the letters arrived at congressional offices three days after the tip. The agency is separately investigating other mailings of suspicious substances to Congress and elections officials in recent weeks.