Martial arts instructor James Everett Dutschke was charged earlier today in connection with the ricin letters that were mailed to three public officials last week, including President Obama. Dutschke is a resident of Tupelo, Mississippi, where he was arrested at his home around 1 a.m.
According to the Chicago Tribune, FBI investigators first began looking at Dutschke after it was revealed that he was involved in a feud with Paul Kevin Curtis, the original suspect in the case. Curtis was cleared after investigators failed to find any evidence against him. The Elvis impersonator became a person of interest after his name came up in connection with the letters' phrasing.
A connection has been established between Dutschke and the son of one of the letters' intended recipients. The son of the Mississippi State judge who received one of the letters containing ricin, Steve Holland, would not speak with assurance on whether or not he believed that Dutschke was responsible for the letters. Holland told The Associated Press, "I feel confident the FBI knows what they are doing. We're ready for this long nightmare to be over," as reported by the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
At the time of his arrest, Dutschke was already out on bond in an unrelated case involving underage females. He is expected to appear in court Monday to face federal charges in the ricin case.