A martial arts instructor who sent ricin-laced letters to President Obama and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) was sentenced to 25 years in jail, the Justice Department announced on Monday.
Mississippi resident James Everett Dutschke, 41, was convicted of “possessing the biological agent ricin and subsequently mailing ricin-laced, threatening letters including one that threatened bodily harm to the president of the United States,” the Justice Department said in a release.
{mosads}In addition to his 300-month prison sentence, Dutschke will serve a term of 5 years of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement, Dutschke waived his right to appeal.
Dutschke sent ricin-laced letters as part of a scheme to frame his rival, Kevin Curtis, a former Elvis impersonator. Curtis, who was initially charged in the ricin attack, is suing Dutschke for defamation.
As recently as last week, Dutschke told the court he wanted to recant his confession and withdraw his guilty plea.
According to The Associated Press, Dutschke told the judge in his case that the government had falsified evidence and that Curtis was in fact guilty of the crime.
Had Dutschke not accepted the plea deal, he would have faced a possible life sentence stemming from the federal charges.