Man charged over ricin letters sent to Obama and officials Federal agents search the property of Everett Dutschke in Tupelo, Mississippi. Photograph: Lauren Wood/Reuters A martial arts instructor who was arrested early on Saturday has been charged with possession of the biological agent ricin and with attempting to use it as a weapon, the Department of Justice has announced. James Everett Dutschke, 41, was arrested following searches of his home and a former business as part of an investigation into ricin-laced letters that were sent to President Barack Obama and two other public officials. Dutschke was taken into custody by FBI agents at his Tupelo home in the early hours of Saturday morning, FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden said in a statement. If convicted, he faces maximum possible penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Dutschke is expected to appear in the US district court in Oxford, Mississippi, on Monday. On Tuesday, prosecutors dropped charges against another Mississippi man, Elvis impersonator Kevin Curtis, who was released from jail after a search of his home in nearby Corinth revealed no incriminating evidence. Prosecutors said at the time that the investigation had "revealed new information" but provided no details. Dutschke's attorney, Lori Basham, did not return calls seeking comment but she told Reuters earlier in the week that her client denied having anything to do with the ricin letters. Letters addressed to Senator Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, and Obama were retrieved last week at off-site mail facilities before reaching their intended victims. The discovery added another layer of anxiety as authorities dealt with bombings at the Boston Marathon. Ricin, which is made from castor beans, can be deadly to humans and is considered a potential terror weapon, particularly if refined into an aerosol form.