An Ohio man appeared in federal court Friday afternoon facing charges related to sending dozens of threatening letters and emails, some containing suspicious white powder and a bullet, to public officials and others in Ohio.
Ronald Lidderdale, 39, of New Albany, is charged with making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking. He is alleged to have sent at least 65 letters and emails to 34 victims, including state public officials, elected federal officials, individuals involved in Ohio politics, a local television station, and law enforcement.
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According to charging documents, Lidderdale allegedly sent at least 49 letters containing suspicious white powders, at times claiming the substance was Ricin. To date, 29 victims reportedly received these white powder letters.
One letter allegedly contained a 9mm bullet with the last name of a public official etched onto it.
The communications contained explicit threats of violence. For example, language cited in the documents includes, “I will kill you for your ignorant loyalty to your pedophilic party” and “I will kill you for the good of The People. Your death will come when you least expect it.”
Court documents detail that between July and early August 2024, Lidderdale allegedly sent a dozen threatening letters in five different mailings. These letters reportedly used return labels containing mailing information for individuals currently or previously employed by the targeted public official.
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More recently, it is alleged that last week, Lidderdale sent letters to eight victims containing a hitlist of eight individuals he claimed he would kill in the month of May.
Lidderdale is also accused of sending a letter to a local TV station and emails to federal and local law enforcement outlining his plans. Threatening emails sent to public officials allegedly included the statement, “Each [victim] will receive the gift of their names etched onto a single bullet. Their skull is the target the bullet is the gift.”
Federal agents state that on May 8, Lidderdale allegedly told FBI agents that he had sent the letters and emails with the intent to incite fear, including the fear of bodily injury, and to make threats with the goal of changing behavior.
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The federal charges carry significant penalties. Mailing threatening communications has a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, conveying false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking are all federal crimes punishable by up to five years in prison individually.
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