Logan Man Admits Mailing Ricin Precursor To President, Others

LOGAN, Utah – Authorities arrested a man Wednesday in connection with letters containing a precursor of ricin that were sent to the President and others.

William Clyde Allen III, 39, was booked into the Davis County Jail on suspicion of threat of terrorism over four letters mailed to President Donald Trump, the FBI director, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chief of Naval Operations.

Allen “confessed to having purchased castor beans and having sent the letters,” a jail booking statement read. “All four letters sent by Allen tested positive for ricin poison.”

Some national news outlets, including NBC News, said the letters initially tested positive for ricin, but later were determined only to contain a precursor.

FBI Special Agent Doug Davis, when asked to provide clarity on the status of the testing, said he “didn’t have anything to add.”

Davis said Allen was expected to be formally charged Friday, which is also when the jail booking statement said he would have his initial appearance in federal court.

Agents appeared to take extreme caution outside Allen’s home, located along 200 West just south of 400 North, including wearing hazardous material suits inside the house.

“We want people to stay away from here because of the potential for dangerous chemicals, and that’s why we have people in plastic suits,” Davis said.

Davis said, however, that people who were outside of the containment area were not at risk.

Court records showed Allen did not have much in the way of a criminal history over the past decade, but had convictions prior to that for child abuse/neglect and attempted aggravated assault.

Neighbors seemed stunned by the news Allen had been arrested.

“(I was) very surprised because I didn’t ever see anything in his actions that would say that he’s a scary guy or anything like that,” neighbor Darrell Robison said.