Ohio Man Charged with Threatening State Public Officials
A New Albany, Ohio, man has been charged with federal crimes after allegedly sending at least 65 letters and emails containing threats to kill state public officials, a local television station, and law enforcement personnel. Ronald Lidderdale, 39, appeared in federal court in Columbus on Friday, , according to the Department of Justice.
The charges against Lidderdale include making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking. The alleged threats were directed at publicly elected officials holding statewide office in Ohio, federal officials, and individuals involved in Ohio politics.
Authorities allege that Lidderdale sent at least 49 letters containing suspicious white powders, some of which he claimed were ricin. To date, 29 victims received these letters. One letter contained a 9mm bullet etched with the last name of a public official.
The alleged threats occurred between and early , with a series of a dozen threatening letters sent via mail in five separate mailings. According to charging documents, the return labels on these letters contained mailing information for individuals who were either currently or previously employed by the targeted public officials.
The case highlights the protections afforded to public officials under federal law. Whoever assaults, kidnaps, or murders, or attempts to kidnap or murder, or threatens to assault, kidnap or murder a member of the immediate family of a United States official, a United States judge, a Federal law enforcement officer, or an official whose killing would be a crime under section 1114 of this title…shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).
This is according to 18 U.S.C. § 115, which addresses influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a Federal official by threatening or injuring a family member.
Federal law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 115, makes it a federal crime to threaten, assault, kidnap, or murder U.S. Judges, federal law enforcement officers, and certain executive and legislative officials, or their immediate family members, with the intent to impede, intimidate, or retaliate against them.
Threatening government officials is a felony in the United States. Threatening the President of the United States is a separate federal crime, punishable by up to five years in imprisonment and investigated by the United States Secret Service.
In a similar case earlier this year, a man in , was charged with threatening state public officials in Ohio. Details of that case were not immediately available.
The Justice Department has not released information regarding potential motives or further details about Lidderdale’s alleged actions. The investigation is ongoing.
