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Briton Accused of Poisoned Baby Food Blackmail Plot

A Briton has been accused in California of blackmailing a supermarket chain with threats to put poisoned baby food on store shelves.

David Ian Dickinson, 43, was remanded in custody by Los Angeles Judge Jennifer Lum.

The court determined that Dickinson posed a danger to the community and was a flight risk, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the US attorney’s office.

Dickinson, was arrested by federal agents on Wednesday and charged with one count of extortion and one count of tampering with consumer products, said US Attorney Debra Yang.

Dickinson, who was living with his family in the Venice area on an expired visa, allegedly sent a package to a Ralphs corporate office in Compton containing four food products, including baby food and formula, with a letter labelled “blackmail demand,” Yang said.

A separate letter was sent several days later demanding £100,000. It threatened a wide range of tampered foods would be sent to stores if demands were not met.

Tests on the food products sent to the Ralphs revealed a container of Gerber orange juice contained more than 50% hydraulic fluid.

Boric acid was found in a jar of horseradish and a container of Similac infant formula.

A jar of Gerber carrots also was found to contain glass shards.

Yang stressed no contaminated food products made their way into the food supply.

“We have no evidence, no knowledge and no belief that there are tainted foods on the shelf at any Ralphs,” said Yang. “No one should be afraid to shop at Ralphs or any other retailer.”

If convicted, Dickinson faces up to 25 years in prison.

A preliminary hearing date has been set for May 20 unless a grand jury hands down an indictment before the hearing, Mrozek said. Dickinson also will be asked to enter a plea during an arraignment scheduled for May 24.

As part of what authorities described as an “elaborate” extortion plot, Dickinson allegedly demanded Ralphs place the £100,000 into an account and distribute 9,000 bank cards at stores in Santa Monica, San Diego, and San Ramon that could be used to access the account.

Shoppers were to be told that the cards might be worth money in the future.

The letter further demanded that Ralphs place an advertisement for a “German tuba” in the March 25 issue of a Los Angeles paper

and instructed that the PIN number to access the money be listed as the tuba’s model number.

Surveillance footage at a grocery store in Santa Monica showed a man on a bicycle who resembled the person seen on surveillance tape at the Venice post office, where the package of contaminated food items was sent.

Dickinson was later identified and a search warrant for his home turned up a yellow jacket and other clothing he allegedly wore when he mailed the tainted food to the grocery store chain, Yang said.

Dickinson later admitted to the plot and told investigators he “did it” and was planning to flee the country with his family, Yang said.

Dickinson assured authorities he had not sent any contaminated food items to stores, said FBI Special Agent in Charge James Sheehane.

“This was a pretty elaborate scheme,” Sheehan said. “He is an above average thinker, he was smart, we were smarter.”