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A former Ohio court mediator has been charged for allegedly sending dozens of poop-laced letters to politicians, according to the New York Post.
77-year-old Richard Steinle allegedly mailed poop-laced letters to all 25 Republican state senators in early July. It's unclear if the feces came from animals or people. Some of the letters also included words like "pig" and "racist," according to court records. The state senators never actually received the letters as they were intercepted by mailroom workers in the Ohio Statehouse, as well as post offices in Cleveland and Akron.
Authorities began surveilling Steinle's home after receiving a tip from another court employee. That's when the saw him mailing a letter while wearing a glove. According to court records, Steinle was charged with in federal court for sending "injurious articles as nonmailable," which breaks federal law prohibiting mailing hazardous material.
“This type of biohazard attack doesn’t just stop with the people it’s directed towards,” Ohio Senate GOP spokesperson John Fortney said. “This is something that could potentially affect every single employee at the Ohio Statehouse, regardless of their political affiliation.”
Steinle is currently out on bail, and his next hearing is August 25. He could face a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.