CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has indicted a 34-year-old man with possessing a deadly biological agent, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
Brandon L. Baxter, of East Cleveland, was charged with Prohibitions with Respect to Biological Weapons and Possession of a Biological Toxin by a Restricted Person.
According to allegations in the indictment, Baxter was knowingly in possession of a biological agent, ricin, which is known to be lethal to humans.
Baxter was previously convicted for being part of a terrorist collective that attempted to detonate explosives at the base of the Route 82 bridge in Macedonia, Ohio in 2012. Baxter is expected to appear for arraignment on Oct. 14, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan D. Greenberg.
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio and FBI Cleveland Division Special Agent in Charge Joshua DelManzo made the announcement.
The investigation in this case is being conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division with assistance from the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of East Cleveland Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Duncan T. Brown is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio, along with Trial Attorney Ryan D. White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for both counts. The sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violations.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.