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US man convicted in nationwide anthrax scare

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-18 11:19

SACRAMENTO, California: A federal jury has convicted a 66-year-old Sacramento man for mailing more than 100 anthrax hoax letters last year.

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Marc Keyser was convicted Thursday on three counts of sending the letters and two counts of mailing threatening communications.

He was arrested in October 2008 after several newspapers, other media outlets, businesses and the Modesto district office of US Rep. George Radanovich, a California Republican, received threatening packages in the mail.

Prosecutors say the packages contained a computer disk labeled "Anthrax Shock and Awe Terror" and a small packet of sugar relabeled with a biohazard symbol and the words "Anthrax sample."

Keyser is scheduled to be sentenced November 30. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.