WASHINGTON, DC — An Ohio man has been charged with a felony after being accused of sending multiple letters to almost three dozen victims, threatening to kill Ohio officials.
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Ronald Lidderdale, 39, was in court Friday. He is charged with making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, false information and hoaxes and cyberstalking.
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Law enforcement believes Lidderdale sent the threatening letters to public officials, including Ohio politicians, federal politicians and people involved in Ohio politics.
Lidderdale is accused of sending at least 49 letters which contained suspicious white powders. Some letters even claimed the powder was ricin, a deadly poison.
So far, 29 victims have received letters with white powder in them. One letter contained a 9mm bullet with the recipient’s last name engraved on it.
The letters contained threats against the officials like, “I will kill you for your ignorant loyalty to your pedophilic party” and “I will kill you for the good of The People. Your death will come when you least expect it.”
Lidderdale allegedly sent letters to victims, a local TV station and law enforcement with a hit list of the eight people he planned to kill in May.
Lidderdale is facing years in prison, with mailing threatening letters having a maximum sentence of 10 years and all other charges up to five years.
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