Man charged for mailing anthrax hoax to landlord

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas City man appeared in federal court Tuesday on accusations he mailed a fake anthrax letter to his dead landlord.

Robert R. Nye, 38, was charged with one felony count of sending a threatening communication through the mail. If convicted, Nye could face up to five years in prison without parole and a fine of up to $250,000. He was being held without bond pending a hearing Thursday.

A supervisor at the U.S. Postal Service office in south Kansas City told postal inspectors on Nov. 2 that a mail carrier had handled a letter that was leaking a white powder.

Police and hazardous materials crews responded to the scene, but investigators ruled out anthrax. The letter was addressed to Nye's former landlord, who had died. According to court documents, Nye told police he was unaware of the landlord's death.

Court documents show the letter contained white powder -- which Nye later said was powder from penicillin -- and a note to his landlord that read, "Time to die, Anthrax!"

Investigators knew immediately the powder was not anthrax, the documents said. The substance was never tested, said U.S. Attorney's spokesman Chris Whitley.

The mail carrier told inspectors that he suspected Nye because he was aware of previous alleged harassment by Nye against the landlord.

Nye is the first person to be prosecuted in U.S. District Court of Western Missouri for an anthrax hoax letter since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Whitley said.