SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - A Southwick man accused of mailing four packages — two of which contained white powder — to federal agencies was arrested Friday and charged in federal court in Springfield with two counts of conveying false information and hoaxes and two counts of mailing threatening communications, officials said.
Prosecutors allege that between July and November, Kevin A. Johnson, 47, sent three packages containing either threatening communications or suspicious substances to the FBI’s Springfield Office and the Springfield Social Security Administration Office.
The Springfield Branch Office of the United States Attorney’s Office also received a letter from an individual claiming responsibility for sending the packages.
All of the packages contained a piece of white-lined paper with a hand-drawn logo that appeared to combine the “anarchist A” symbol and the symbol for ISIS. Two of the packages contained suspicious white powder.
Prosecutors say on July 23, security cameras at the FBI Springfield office captured a man throwing a manila envelope at the front door that contained a handwritten note that read, “Death to TRUMP.”
Then, on Oct. 23, the SSA Springfield received a package containing white powder and a handwritten letter stating, among other things: “FOR ALLAH YOU DIE, ATHENA KNOWS YOUR LIES, DEATH TO YOU TRAITORS, AND THE (expletive) FBI.”
On Oct. 24, the FBI Springfield Office received a package through the mail addressed to “AGENT UNCLE HAM.” The package contained white powder and a handwritten note stating: “FOR ALLAH YOU DIE, ATHENA KNOWS YOUR LIES, DEATH TO THE N.O.R.A.D SPIES, AND THE FBI.” Laboratory testing later determined that the white powder in the packages did not contain hazardous material.
On Nov. 13, the Springfield Branch Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts received a letter through the mail addressed to the U.S. Attorney. The return address stated: “WANTED FOR TERRORISM.” The package included a handwritten letter and two newspaper articles. One of the newspaper articles was a report that the SSA Springfield building closed after receiving a suspicious package. The article noted that the powder was found to be onion salt. The words “onion salt” were circled in pen on the article. The second article was about the death of James “Whitey” Bulger Jr. The phrase “5 finger Freddy” was written in pen next to the name “Freddy Geas” on the article. News media outlets have reported Geas as Bulger’s suspected killer.
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