Mississippi Man charged for sending poisonous letters to Barack Obama A Mississippi-based martial arts teacher has been charged in connection with poison-laced letters sent to US President Barack Obama and a US senator. 41-year-old James Everett Dutschke was charged with possession of the biological agent ricin, and attempting to use it as a weapon. He was arrested at his home in Tupelo just after midnight. Ricin is a highly lethal poison made from castor beans, though the substance found on the letters is believed to be in a crude form that would prove far less lethal. If found guilty, Dutschke faces maximum possible penalties of life imprisonment and a US250,000 dollar (192,000 euro) fine. His arrest comes days after US prosecutors dropped charges against another man, Kevin Curtis, who was released after a search of his home revealed no incriminating evidence. Curtis, a professional Elvis impersonator, has had a running feud with Dutschke and suggested he may have been framed by him. More about: Crime, USA