Aurora Man Sentenced for Mailing Threats which Included White Powder to Government Officials

DENVER—Jay Stuart DeVaughn, aka Jay Paige Edwards, age 42, of Aurora, Colorado, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge John L. Kane to serve 72 months (6 years) in federal prison for mailing threatening communications, including threatening letters containing white powder to the President, members of Congress, and the Argentine Consulate. DeVaughn, who appeared at the hearing in custody, was remanded. Following his prison sentence, DeVaughn was ordered to serve three years on supervised release. The issue of restitution to the victims of DeVaughn's crime will be addressed at a future hearing.

DeVaughn was first charged by criminal complaint on February 26, 2010. He was then indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on March 9, 2010. He pled guilty before Judge Kane on August 26, 2010. He was sentenced on January 28, 2011.

The August 26, 2010 plea agreement outlines criminal conduct in three judicial Districts, Colorado, the Northern District of Alabama, and the Middle District of Alabama. According to the plea agreement, the defendant mailed threatening letters, which included a bag containing white powder, to elected officials from all three districts as well as the Argentine Consulate. With the exception of the Argentine Consulate letters, each threatening letter included the name of a Metro Denver doctor as the return address, and referenced healthcare reform as the reason the author of the letters was angry.

According to the stipulated facts in the plea agreement, as it relates to the Colorado criminal conduct, on September 10, 2009, the White House mail facility in Washington, DC intercepted a letter addressed to "President Barack Obama." The defendant mailed the letter from Denver, Colorado. The letter stated essentially ". . . your so called health care 'reform' is a ... joke .... Have you heard of anthrax??? Get a whiff of this...." Enclosed in the letter was a plastic bag containing white powder. On September 4, 2009, the defendant mailed a threatening letter containing white powder to Congresswoman Diana DeGette's office in Washington, DC. On November 24, 2009, DeVaughn mailed a threatening letter containing white powder to Senator Mark Udall's office in Denver. On November 25, 2009, DeVaughn mailed a threatening letter containing white powder to Senator Michael Bennett's office in Denver. On that same date he sent Congressman Mike Coffman a threatening letter containing white powder to the Congressman's Lone Tree, Colorado office. On January 4, 2010, DeVaughn mailed a threatening letter with white powder to the Argentine Consulate in Los Angeles, California. On January 10, 2010, a white powder letter was mailed to the Argentine Consulate in New York.

FBI agents were able to match the handwriting on the threatening white powder letters to the handwriting of the defendant. The Secret Service was able to match the defendant's handwriting to that of the threat letter sent to the President. Agents also matched fingerprints from some of the white powder letters to DeVaughn.

Regarding the criminal conduct involving the Northern District of Alabama, on January 3, 2010, DeVaughn mailed a threatening letter containing white powder to Congressman Richard Shelby's office in Birmingham, Alabama. On January 5, 2010, the defendant mailed a letter containing white powder to Senator Jeff Session's office, also in Birmingham, Alabama. On January 4, 2010, DeVaughn mailed a threatening letter with white powder to Congressman Mike Rogers' office in Anniston, Alabama.

The defendant's criminal conduct involving the Middle District of Alabama included a January 3, 2010 threatening letter with white powder mailed to Congressman Richard Shelby's Montgomery, Alabama office, a January 4, 2010 threatening letter with white powder mailed to Senator Jeff Sessions' Montgomery, Alabama office, and the January 4, 2010 mailing of a threatening letter containing white powder to Congressman Mike Rogers' Montgomery, Alabama office.

Persons receiving the letter reasonably believed that they had been subjected to the use of a biological weapon, specifically anthrax. Upon receiving the letters, emergency personnel were called and responded. Further evaluation of the white powder substance revealed that it was not harmful.

In DeVaughn's Colorado case, he pled guilty to one count of mailing a threat against the President, four counts of mailing threatening communications, and two counts of threatening communications via interstate commerce. He also pled guilty to three counts of conveying false information and hoaxes to elected officials in the Northern District of Alabama, and three counts of conveying false information and hoaxes to elected officials in the Middle District of Alabama.

"Today's sentence sends a clear, strong message to anyone who might make threats of violence or use hoax weapons: Your criminal behavior will be investigated and prosecuted, and you will serve a lengthy prison sentence," said U.S. Attorney John Walsh.

"The Secret Service takes seriously each threat against any of our protectees. This case typifies the success of cooperative efforts amongst federal agencies here in Denver and nationally," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Donahue, U.S. Secret Service Denver Field Office.

"Our public officials who stand to serve our community as well as the private citizens who make this community great deserve to live their lives free of fear and intimidation," said FBI Special Agent in Charge in Denver James Davis. "The FBI's determination to pursue justice and our dedication to work in full cooperation with local, state, and federal partners are reflected in this sentencing."

"Use of the mails for threatening purposes can violate the public trust in the Postal Service and can endanger the public," said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge in Denver Thomas Noyes. "It is a top priority of the United States Postal Inspection Service to prevent and apprehend criminals such as this one for criminal misuse of the mail. Agents of varying agencies worked together to bring this case to assure the perpetrator was brought to justice. Denver Postal Inspectors are pleased with the outcome of this investigation and the efforts of the United States Attorney's Office in bringing this prosecution to a successful conclusion."

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the United States Secret Service (USSS).

DeVaughn is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Holloway.

This article was sponsored by Police Books.