Posted on 08/05/2008 5:03:19 PM PDT by RDTF
LAS VEGAS -- An unemployed graphic designer who told investigators that he found making ricin an "exotic idea" pleaded guilty Monday to possessing the deadly toxin in a hotel room here.
Roger Bergendorff, 57, also pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge. (A second weapons charge was dropped.) He could face up to 20 years in prison at his Nov. 3 sentencing, though prosecutors are recommending that he serve a little more than three years.
Bergendorff reportedly fantasized about harming people with the poison -- he had sketched an "injection delivery device" disguised as a pen -- but never carried anything out, court documents said.
There is no indication that Bergendorff was linked to terrorism or was part of a broader plot, said Assistant U.S. Atty. J. Gregory Damm. Bergendorff told investigators that "he experimented with a lot of things, even counterfeiting," court papers said.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
How did I know? Quite a bit of the advice in that little fantasy volume will get you killed, especially the stuff having to do with explosives. The only problem with that is that sometimes you take other folks with you.
More info at this link
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHS90ne-2-wjkHu_N158TrQ_wJpwD92BQTNO0
Bergendorff now admits he has been manufacturing ricin since the late ‘90s. I would hope that law enforcement has thoroughly investigated mysterious grotesque deaths with symptoms mimicking ricin poisoning in Reno, California and Utah during those times. Perhaps send out a bulletin to hospitals. Hospitals don’t typically check for ricin poisoning unless they have a suspicion of such.
The prosecutor said that there is no indication of terrorism. We’ve heard that line before....
Large quantities of ricin is a red flag, and I’d hate to see this guy get 3 years and change for a hasty plea bargain.
So the paper publishes his technique for making it.
Are they trying to create copy cats?
Wish I could remember all the folks who were on the threads when this incident happened.
If you all remember you may want to ping them.
Ping.
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