Ricin suspect hired by senator as Elvis impersonator This undated photo shows Paul Kevin Curtis, who is accused of mailing letters with suspected ricin to to national leaders. Associated Press / April 18, 2013 What is ricin? Here's a look at ricin, a poison made from waste remaining after castor beans are processed into oil. How it works: Ricin gets inside cells and prevents them from making proteins. Without proteins, cells die. Forms: Powder, mist or pellet. Methods of exposure: Ingestion, inhalation or injection. Symptoms: If inhaled, respiratory distress, fever, cough, nausea, sweating, fluid buildup in lungs. If ingested, vomiting and bloody diarrhea, seizures, hallucinations. Symptom onset: If inhaled, possibly within eight hours. If ingested, typically less than six hours. Results: Low blood pressure and respiratory failure; spleen, liver and kidney malfunction, leading to death. Time of death: Could be 36 to 72 hours, depending on the dose and method of transmission. Treatment: No antidote or specific vaccine, but effects can be treated. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mississippi man arrested in ricin mailings Letter sent to Obama tested positive for ricin, official says Ricin poison: Here's what makes it so deadly April 18, 2013, 10:55 a.m. WASHINGTON -- A U.S. senator who was the intended recipient of a letter apparently laced with ricin said he had hired the suspected sender, an Elvis impersonator, to play at a wedding a decade ago. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), a quiet two-term senator who was trailed by security in the Capitol on Thursday, said he had hired Paul Kevin Curtis and "he was quite entertaining." "I have indeed met the gentleman in question," Wicker told reporters. He's an entertainer. He's an Elvis impersonator. He entertained at a party that my wife and I held for a young couple that was getting married," the senator said. Wicker said he and his wife "kicked in our share" to partially cover the entertainment costs for the newlyweds. The senator declined to discuss earlier reports that the suspect, who also sent a letter with ricin to President Obama, had corresponded frequently. But he added "I wouldn't say they're inaccurate." The suspect was arrested late Wednesday in Corinth. "I should probably ought to just keep my trap shut," Wicker said.