A 37-year-old Illinois man faces federal charges for allegedly mailing threatening letters containing a white powder to members of Congress. The complaint unsealed Monday states Matthew Ungelsbee sent at least four plain white envelopes with a powdery substance to elected officials in Chicago.
The letters were postmarked in Springfield, Illinois, on Oct. 19 and included Ungelsbee's name in the return address section. Ungelsbee, of Quincy, Illinois, is charged with mailing threatening communications and perpetrating a hoax. He was scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
According to court records, FBI agents interviewed Ungelsbee at his home on Sunday. He told agents the letters contained salt and claimed he sent them after hearing about similar mailings reported in the news. Testing confirmed the white substance was not dangerous, though the records did not identify the specific substance.
One envelope, received on Oct. 23 at the office of a U.S. senator, contained a white powdery substance and a handwritten note reading “HAH enjoy the gift.” Ungelsbee allegedly told investigators he was joking but knew the recipients would perceive it as a threat, believing the powder might be mistaken for anthrax and prompt a response from hazmat teams.
An anonymous tipster reported overhearing Ungelsbee discussing mailing a suspicious substance to members of Congress in a restaurant. This tip, received on Oct. 16, led the FBI to track Ungelsbee after the envelopes arrived at congressional offices. Investigators searched Ungelsbee’s home and found a fifth envelope addressed to another member of Congress’s Washington, D.C., office.
Federal authorities had announced earlier in October that they were investigating letters with “suspicious substances” mailed to congressional and election offices nationwide. Ungelsbee denied any involvement in those broader mailings.