April 23, 2013
Federal agents raid Mississippi home of former GOP candidate
Federal agents raid Mississippi home of former GOP candidate

4/23 UPDATE: A federal judge this afternoon formally dismissed criminal charges against Curtis. Magistrate S. Allan Alexander signed an order for dismissal after prosecutors petitioned to drop their case since “the ongoing investigation has revealed new information.”

APRIL 23--With federal prosecutors apparently poised to drop charges against the Mississippi man accused of sending ricin-tainted letters to President Barack Obama and two other public officials, FBI agents are searching the home of a former Republican candidate in connection with the dangerous mailings.

Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, was arrested last week for allegedly sending the threatening letters to Obama, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, and a Mississippi county judge. But Curtis has been released from custody amid signs that the case against him has collapsed.

During a court hearing yesterday, lawyers for Curtis contended that he had been framed and pointed investigators toward James Everett Dutschke, a 41-year-old Tupelo man with whom Curtis has feuded. Like Curtis, Dutschke is a martial arts expert, a musician, and a Mensa member.

Dutschke was arrested in January on a child molestation charge in connection with the alleged assault of a seven-year-old girl at the tae kwon do studio he operates. In March, he was named in a three-count felony indictment accusing him of fondling a victim under the age of 16 (each count carries a maximum 15-year prison term). Dutschke, now free on bond, has previously been convicted of indecent exposure.

Dutschke is pictured in the above mug shot.

In 2007, Dutschke was the unsuccessful Republican candidate against Stephen Holland, the incumbent Democratic state representative from the Tupelo area. Holland’s wife Sadie is the judge to whom one of the ricin-tainted letters was sent.

Read more:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/r...rumbling-678452