NASHVILLE RESIDENT INDICTED FOR POSSESSING RICIN, PIPE BOMBS, AND SILENCERS

Nashville - July 20, 2006 - United State Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee James K. Vines, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge My Harrison, Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF & E) Special Agent in Charge James M. Cavanaugh and Metropolitan Police Department (MNPD) Chief Ronal Serpas announced that William Michael Matthews, a resident of Nashville, Tennessee, has been indicted by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Nashville for unlawful possession of the deadly biological toxin ricin, as well as for unlawful possession of pipe bombs and firearms silencers.

The investigation, conducted jointly by the FBI, ATF&E and the MNPD, began on May 31, 2006 when Matthews' wife reported that these items were possibly being stored by her husband in an outbuilding on their property. Subsequent searches located a baby food jar containing a substance that laboratory testing confirmed to be ricin, a toxin so deadly that in pure form one gram can potentially kill hundreds of people. Several firearms silencers and the parts to construct more were also found in the outbuilding, along with two functional pipe bombs.

U.S. Attorney Jim Vines stated that "those who manufacture and possess weapons of mass destruction occupy a high priority with both the Department of Justice and this U.S. Attorney's office. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute such violations of law."

It is a federal crime to possess biological agents for use as a weapon. Violations are punishable by up to life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. It is further a federal crime to possess explosive devices, silencers, or machineguns which have not been properly registered with the government, punishable by up to ten years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

Note: An indictment is a form of accusation and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.