‘Merry Anthrax.’ Man sent toxic powder to former coworkers, Oregon officials say

An Oregon man pleaded guilty Monday to sending former coworkers letters containing a white powder he said was anthrax.

The white powder contained in the letters sent by 71-year-old Kelly Michael Burns was not anthrax, but it was a pesticide that is toxic to humans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon.

Burns was accused of sending the powder in Christmas cards to four of his former coworkers in December 2019, officials say. The workers received the letters and pesticide at their unidentified Medford, Oregon, workplace.

“Merry Anthrax,” Burns allegedly wrote in the letters, officials say. He also wrote “Eat (expletive) and die. More to come,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

The workplace was forced to close for decontamination when three employees were exposed to the substance, later confirmed to be carbaryl, officials say. One of the victims was 10 weeks pregnant, according to a news release.

Carbaryl is used to control aphids, fire ants, fleas, ticks and spiders and people can be exposed to it when they breathe it in, according to the National Pesticide Information Center. It can lead to weakness, dizziness and sweating in mild cases, and severe cases can trigger high blood pressure, decreased muscle tone and seizures, the organization said.

Anthrax, which Burns indicated the powder was, is a rare infection associated with bioterrorism attacks in the United States in 2001. Anthrax was purposely spread through the mail and killed five people, sickening 22 more, according to Medline Plus.

Two months after Burns sent the initial letters, he mailed cards with carbaryl to the same four victims, officials said. This time, the letters included violent statements with threats toward their families, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Burns worked as a welder, according to the Mail Tribune. The targets were the owner of the company, a manager, supervisor and a former supervisor who was at the company in a different position, the news outlet reported.

FBI agents matched the handwriting on the envelopes to Burns’ handwriting from his former job application and tax documents, a news release states.

Burns was charged in March after FBI agents found further evidence at his home during a search warrant.

“They found handwritten notes in which Burns threatened to kill a former coworker, sabotage his former workplace and conduct a drive-by shooting,” officials say. “Agents also recovered several books including, ‘The Poisoner’s Handbook,’ ‘The Joy of Cold Revenge,’ ‘U.S. Army Guide to Boobytraps’ and ‘Silent Death.’”

He pleaded guilty to eight counts of mailing threatening communications, according to the federal officials.

Burns, who will be sentenced in March, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, officials say.

This story was originally published February 9, 2021 at 3:04 PM with the headline "‘Merry Anthrax.’ Man sent toxic powder to former coworkers, Oregon officials say."