Clampit arraigned on ricin charges

FAYETTEVILLE — A Winslow man pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court to charges he possessed or attempted to manufacture the poison ricin, which is considered a prohibited biological weapon under federal law.

Jason Kale Clampit, 43, was indicted by a federal grand jury last week on possession of a prohibited biological weapon and/or attempted production of ricin, according to court documents. Clampit was denied bond and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center.

An initial trial date was set for April 15 before U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks in Fayetteville.

An anonymous caller alerted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to the suspected activity in mid-January, according to court documents. The Sheriff’s Office in turn forwarded the information to the FBI.

Investigators were also provided with text messages discussing ricin, including messages from Clampit. Clampit said in messages he had made and used ricin to scare people away from property where he was living, according to court documents.

Clampit was arrested Jan. 24 in Fayetteville.

Later that day, parole and probation officers, along with the Bentonville Bomb Squad, whose members are trained to deal with hazardous materials, went to Clampit’s residence at 155 W. Bromley Lane in Winslow. A search of a trailer on the property turned up castor beans, which can be used to make ricin.

During a subsequent search, authorities seized a significant amount of castor beans, a jar of suspected liquid ricin, a coffee grinder they believe was used to make ricin and which contained suspected ricin powder, and a pistol, according to court documents.

Clampit is also facing state charges of a parole violation and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Clampit