BANGOR, Maine: A Burlington, Maine woman was convicted today of mailing a threatening communication to Sen. Susan Collins following a one-day jury trial, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, Suzanne Muscara, 37, mailed a letter containing a white powder to Collins’ Bangor address in October 2018. The letter also contained a handwritten note indicating that the powder was anthrax. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted the letter at a mail sorting facility in Hampden, Maine.
The envelope contained an Aetna Medicare Solutions flye.. On one side in blue handwriting was written, “AnthRAX!!! HA HA HA!!!”
“A stick-figure face had been drawn with the letter ‘X’ for eyes, the tongue sticking out, and with ‘You’ and an arrow pointing at the stick figure’s face,” Assistant U.S. Andrew McCormack told juror.
The FBI tested the white powder and found that it did not contain toxic substances. The FBI also matched a fingerprint found on the envelope with one of Muscara’s prints.
“I didn’t want anything to happen,” Muscara said. “I just thought it was funny. I thought cops were, like, sifting through her mail. I didn’t expect anyone significant would read it.”
Muscara faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
