Illinois man charged after mailing salt to lawmakers in threat hoax

Matthew G. Unglesbee, a resident of Illinois, was charged with two felonies on Monday for allegedly mailing white powder to members of Congress. The criminal complaint filed with the charges lists false information and hoaxes, as well as mailing threatening communications. Authorities say Unglesbee sent four envelopes marked with his return address to congressional offices in the northern Illinois area.

The investigation began on October 16 when the FBI received a tip that Unglesbee had mailed suspicious substances to lawmakers. The tipster, who had overheard Unglesbee at a restaurant discussing the mailings, provided his full name, address, and date of birth to agents. FBI field office personnel in Chicago responded to the offices of three members of Congress following the tip and a 911 call. A staff member at the first office contacted authorities after noticing a powder-like substance inside an envelope.

All four received letters contained a white granular substance alongside handwritten notes. Three notes simply read "HA HA." A fourth letter, delivered to a senator’s office on Friday, included the message "HAH enjoy the gift." The complaint notes that one office was already on high alert because it had received a similar letter within the previous few weeks. FBI Task Force Officer Chris Hobbs, who authored the complaint, described the tactic as a common method of intimidation. Preliminary lab testing found no chemical or biological toxins in the substance.

Unglesbee confessed to sending the letters during an FBI interview at his home on Saturday. He told agents that the powder was salt and that he mailed it as a joke. Unglesbee stated he chose salt because it visually resembled anthrax, anticipating that recipients would react with hazmat suits. He acknowledged to the FBI that he was joking but recognized that the recipients would not know that and might perceive the mail as a threat. The agency determined the letters were mailed on October 19.

During a search of Unglesbee’s home, FBI agents found a fifth letter addressed to one of the congresspeople’s Washington, D.C., office. The man told agents he heard someone at a restaurant talking about similar letters received by lawmakers, which inspired his own actions. The charges stem from the four letters that were delivered, though the fifth envelope was also marked with a congressional address.

The FBI has contacted the public for further information regarding the case. Unglesbee is currently facing the two felony counts outlined in the criminal complaint. The lab results confirming the absence of toxins provide a factual basis for the hoax charge, as the substance matched the description of salt provided by the suspect.