Quebec woman charged in ricin mailing
Allegedly sent poison and made threats toward Trump in letter directed to White House
A Quebec woman arrested at the U.S. border Sunday and charged with threatening to kill U.S. President Donald Trump, called him an “Ugly Tyrant Clown” in a letter containing toxic ricin mailed to the White House, U.S. authorities allege.
Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier made explicit threats in the letter, writing that if the poison didn't kill Trump, she would try a better recipe or use a gun, according to a criminal complaint and sworn affidavit filed in court that outlines the probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On Sept. 18, the U.S. Secret Service alerted the FBI's Washington, D.C., field office that a letter addressed to “Donald J. Trump, The White House,” mailed and postmarked from Canada, had arrived at the White House mail sorting facility, court documents say. It contained a white powdery material.
According to the allegations, the letter inside read in part: “I found a new name for you: `The Ugly Tyrant Clown' I hope you like it. You ruin USA and lead them to disaster. I have US cousins, then I don't want the next 4 years with you as president. Give up and remove your application for this election.
“So I made a `Special Gift' for you to make a decision,” it allegedly went on. “This gift is in this letter. If it doesn't work, I'll find better recipe for another poison, or I might use my gun when I'll be able to come.
“Enjoy! FREE REBEL
SPIRIT.”
The FBI tested the powder and confirmed it was toxic ricin.
Investigators learned of six additional letters that appeared similar to the White House threat, via other FBI field offices in Texas.
These letters were received on Sept. 15 to 16 and also had been postmarked in Canada and also contained a powdery substance.
The letters contained similar language to the letter sent to the president and were addressed to individuals affiliated with facilities at which the defendant had been housed while incarcerated in Texas in 2019.
Pascale's problems in Texas were her undoing, it has emerged. The FBI searched for people with Canadian connections who recently had been arrested and jailed by the Texan police in question.
The search turned up Ferrier's arrest by Mission Police Department in Mission, Texas, on March 13, 2019, for weapons possession.
Four of the letters found in Texas revealed latent fingerprints, the FBI says. An analysis revealed a match to Ferrier's prints.
The FBI also searched social-media accounts and found Facebook and Twitter postings that referenced “#killTrump” and discussed the pejorative “Ugly Clown Tyrant.”
Both Facebook and Twitter accounts used the registration address of Pascale.Ferrier @gmail.com, according to the court documents.
Ferrier surrendered Sunday to U.S. authorities at the border separating Fort Erie, Ont., and Buffalo, N.Y.
She allegedly carried a loaded gun in her waistband and had ammunition and a knife.
Threatening the president is a federal felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a US$250,000 fine. It is possible she could face additional charges for the ricin as well as for the gun and knife.
She will be back in a Buffalo, N.Y., court Sept. 28 for a bail hearing.