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Woman pleads guilty to mailing poison letter to former President Donald Trump

A woman pleaded guilty to sending letters with poison in them to former President Donald Trump and eight others, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI
A woman pleaded guilty to sending letters with poison in them to former President Donald Trump and eight others, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A woman pleaded guilty to sending letters with poison in them to former President Donald Trump and eight others, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier, a dual citizen of Canada and France, faces more than 21 years in prison if her plea deal is accepted by the federal court. Ferrier admitted to making the poison ricin at her home in Quebec.

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The 55-year-old wrote letters to Trump and eight law enforcement officials in Texas, then placed ricin with the letters and mailed them.

Ferrier was arrested entering the United States at Peace Bridge Border Crossing in Buffalo, N.Y., on Sept. 20, 2020. She was in possession of a loaded firearm and hundreds of rounds of ammunition when law enforcement made contact with her.

Prior to being arrested, Ferrier had tweeted "please shoot trump in the face." Her letter to Trump told him to "give up and remove [his] application for this election." She also used threatening language in the letter.

Her guilty plea includes admitting to using a prohibited biological material. Ricin is a waste byproduct made while processing castor beans. It is found naturally in castor beans. It has been used experimentally to kill cancer cells, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Ricin poisoning can be fatal, though the CDC said accidental poisoning is highly unlikely. If inhaled, ingested or injected into a person's body, the poison attacks human cells by cutting off their production of protein, leading to the death of the cells.

There is not an antidote to ricin poisoning but it can be treated if detected quickly enough.

Ferrier is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26. Her sentence may be adjusted based on federal guidelines and the discretion of the judge.

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