U.S.

Former Actress Pleads Guilty To Mailing Ricin To Obama

Shannon Guess Richardson pleaded guilty to mailing ricin-laced letters to President Obama and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Former Actress Pleads Guilty To Mailing Ricin To Obama
CNN

The former actress accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Obama and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pleaded guilty in a federal court in Texas Tuesday. 

Thirty-five-year-old Shannon Guess Richardson pleaded guilty as a part of a deal to cap her sentence at 18 years. She said in her plea agreement she ordered castor beans and processed them into a substance used to make ricin. (Via CNN)

Richardson's handling of the deadly toxin was a part of an elaborate plan to frame her estranged husband Nathan Richardson. KXAS reports she "obtained an email address, a PayPal shopping account and a post office box in her husband's name without his knowledge."

The court documents say Richardson waited for her husband to leave work on May 20 before printing the mailing labels for Obama, Bloomberg and Mark Glaze, the director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

According to ABC, the first part of each letter read, "You will have to kill me and my family before you get my guns. Anyone wants to come to my house will get shot in the face."

Richardson mailed the letters from New Boston, Texas and then contacted police claiming her husband did it. Police arrested and charged Richardson in June. (Via Slate)

Richardson's sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.