Utah man sentenced in ricin case

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- A Utah man has been sentenced to two years probation and fined $500 for failing to report his cousin's possession of deadly ricin, authorities said.

Thomas Tholen, 54, of Riverton, Utah, was sentenced by a federal judge in Salt Lake City after pleading guilty to hiding his knowledge of the ricin production.

Tholen's cousin, Roger Von Bergendorff, who had fallen ill with symptoms of ricin poisoning, pleaded guilty in August to charges of possession of a biological toxin and possession of unregistered firearms, CNN said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3.

Ricin, a toxic byproduct of castor beans, kills the body's cells.