ricin

Maximum punishments for the counts leveled against James Everett Dutschke range from five years to life in prison. He was arrested in April on suspicions that he sent letters containing the poison ricin to President Obama and other officials.

The letters were sent to President Obama, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and a gun control group the mayor supports. Investigators say they were postmarked in Louisiana, near where the man being questioned lives.

Law enforcement officials say the letter is similar to two that were sent to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Preliminary tests of the letter to Bloomberg turned up traces of ricin.

Police say two anonymous letters were received — one in New York City and another at the Washington, D.C., headquarters of Bloomberg's nonprofit.

Authorities say J. Everett Dutschke ordered castor bean seeds on eBay and paid for them using his PayPal account. They were delivered to his house.

Federal agents who are investigating poison-laced letters that were sent to President Obama and others have arrested Everett Dutschke, of Tupelo, Miss. The Daily Journal of Tupelo reports that the arrest occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday.

On Monday, FBI investigators said they had not found any trace of ricin in a search of Paul Kevin Curtis' home.