Man Who Had Ricin Pleads Guilty

Suspect Poisoned Self With Ricin In Las Vegas Motel Room, Prosecutors Say

(AP)  An unemployed graphic designer who authorities say poisoned himself with toxic ricin in his Las Vegas motel room has pleaded guilty to possessing a biological toxin.

Sitting in a wheelchair, Roger Bergendorff was told he could spend 3 years and a month in federal prison. He also pleaded guilty Monday possessing unregistered handgun silencers. A third charge was dropped.

Bergendorff has been in federal custody since his arrest April 16, after two months in a hospital. Authorities suspect he poisoned himself in his room just off the Las Vegas Strip.

Authorities have said the case has no ties to terrorism. They said Bergendorff admitted keeping ricin for protection against unspecified personal enemies.

Police and federal authorities reported finding about 4 grams of "crude" powdered ricin Feb. 28 in Bergendorff's motel room. They also confiscated illegal silencers for .22-caliber weapons, several how-to manuals for producing ricin and castor beans from which the substance can be derived.

Ricin can be lethal in amounts the size of the head of a pin. A federal prosecutor told a judge he believes Bergendorff had enough of the powder to kill more than 500 people.

Bergendorff's cousin, Thomas Tholen, of Riverton, Utah, is awaiting trial in federal court in Salt Lake City. He pleaded not guilty to one felony count of knowing about a crime but failing to report it.

Bergendorff summoned an ambulance Feb. 14, complaining of breathing trouble. He was also treated for kidney failure.

Authorities said his symptoms were consistent with ricin exposure, although his attorney denied ricin made him sick. Traces of the substance are eliminated from the body within days. Ricin was not found in Bergendorff's motel room until two weeks after his hospitalization.

[patriot12436]

t

[o2bewealthy]

Another person let down by the mental health system. Thankfully, this one only hurt himself.

[babooph]

Guilty ?? Please list the stuff we can be imprisoned for owning-castor bean extract now a no no -better check our spice racks-I have no political connections & now ,the US constitution no better than toilet paper- maybe it is time to worry more??

[babooph]

"Handgun silencers"-I still remember J E Hoover claiming there was no such thing,should someone in his position have known more-[I don''t mean his "position " under Talbert,so many get techi with me.]

[tootall10142]

Fortunatley this man was caught before the ricin was seperated and passed around.there are two kinds of people who use ricin. Professional hitmen and people of genocide.This poison was discovered by accident and never should have been shown to the world.On another note we woudnt have methamphetamine if wasnt for hitlers doctor,so really the case and effecy never came from hitler .