POISON SCARE:Mississippi Man Arrested in Mailing of Ricin Letters

A Mississippi man has been arrested as a suspect in connection to the mailing of two letters sent to President Obama and Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., that initially tested positive for ricin, Fox News confirms.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen said the man was arrested Wednesday at approximately 5:15 p.m. CT. It is unclear if charges are getting filed tonight or if they will be filed tomorrow.

He was arrested at his Corinth, Miss., home following an investigation conducted by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Memphis, Tenn., and Jackson, Miss., the U.S. Capitol Police, and the U.S. Postal Service,  the U.S. Secret Service.

The suspect has been identified as 45-year-old Paul Kenneth Curtis of Tupelo, Miss., a source told Fox News. Tupelo is also the hometown of Wicker and his wife.

The FBI confirmed earlier Wednesday that a letter addressed to President Obama had "preliminarily tested positive" for ricin, a day after lawmakers said another letter sent to the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Roger Wicker tested positive for the same substance.

The warnings came amid a flurry of reports on suspicious packages. Fox News learned of several suspicious packages or envelopes in various Capitol Hill office buildings, and Capitol Police said three packages that were flagged had been removed.

Separately, the office of Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., reported a "suspicious-looking letter" at one of the senator's Michigan offices; and a spokesman for Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., reported a "suspicious letter" was intercepted at Flake's Phoenix office. Authorities were also called to the Dallas office of Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, over what was described only as "a piece of mail" -- but field tests later came back negative.

According to a Homeland Security Department handbook, ricin is deadliest when inhaled. It is not contagious, but there is no antidote. A senior Congressional source familiar with the inquiry into the letters sent to President Obama and Sen.Wicker told Fox News that the ricin was "low grade" and "not weaponized."

The package alerts compounded security concerns in the wake of the letter incidents and the Boston bombing, which the FBI has said do not appear to be related.  

Both of the initial suspicious letters were apparently intercepted on Tuesday. They never reached the Hill or the White House.

An FBI bulletin obtained by Fox News said the letter sent to Obama is still being screened, though it initially tested positive.  

The bulletin said both letters included the phrase: "To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance."

Both were signed, "I am KC and I approve this message."

The envelopes had Tennessee postmarks, but no return address.

Sources say officials are familiar with the person believed to have sent the letter as the person has sent other letters before.

The mail-screening system was established after the Anthrax attacks of 2001 that closed the Hart Senate Office Building.

Click for more information on ricin.

Fox News' Mike Emanuel and Chad Pergram, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Letter sent to Obama tests positive for ricin, FBI says

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Background on potentially lethal poison ricin

An envelope containing ricin was sent to the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Roger Wicker, lawmakers told Fox News on Tuesday.

Ricin, a potentially lethal poison, is derived from the same bean that makes castor oil. According to a Homeland Security Department handbook, ricin is deadliest when inhaled. It is not contagious, but there is no antidote.

"Luckily, this was discovered at the processing center off premises," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill, said. He said all mail to senators is "roasted, toasted, sliced and opened" before it ever gets to them.

One law enforcement official said evidence of ricin appeared on preliminary field tests of the letter, although such results are not deemed conclusive without further testing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation remains active.

Ricin prevents the cells of a person’s body from making the proteins they need, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Without the proteins, the cells die eventually becoming harmful to the whole body and possibly leading to death.

Symptoms of ricin poisoning depend on a person’s exposure to it.

If a significant amount of ricin is inhaled, the likely symptoms would be difficulty breathing, fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest, according to the CDC. Low blood pressure and respiratory failure may occur leading to death.

If ricin is swallowed, a significant amount of ricin, he or she would likely develop vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Severe dehydration may be the result, followed by low blood pressure. Other signs or symptoms may include seizures, and blood in the urine, according to the CDC. Within several days, the person’s liver, spleen, and kidneys might stop working, leading to death.

If a person’s skin makes contact with ricin powders or products, redness and pain of the skin and eyes may occur, the CDC reports.  

The discovery evoked memories of the days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when mail laced with anthrax began appearing in post offices, newsrooms and congressional offices.

That included letters sent to Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., who was Senate majority leader, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. Two Senate office buildings were closed during that investigation.

Overall, five people died and 17 others became ill. The FBI attributed the attack to a government scientist who committed suicide in 2008.

More immediately, though, the discovery came as lawmakers were demanding answers to the attacks in Boston a day earlier.

There was no evidence of a connection between the bombings and the letter addressed to Wicker.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from CDC.gov.

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