Warren auditor free on bond after indictment for white powder hoax
There's been no comment from Warren City Hall following a federal indictment handed up against Auditor Anthony Natale.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - There's been no comment from Warren City Hall following a federal indictment handed up against Auditor Anthony Natale.
Neither Mayor Doug Franklin, nor Service and Safety Director Enzo Cantalamessa have returned calls from 21 News seeking comment on the charge facing Natale.
Bond was set at $20,000 for Natale as he appeared in U.S. District court on Wednesday for allegedly mailing an envelope containing a white powder to a Boardman business.
Thirty-seven-year old Antony J. Natale of Warren was freed from the custody of U.S. Marshals after his arraignment on one count of conveying false information related to the use of a weapon of mass destruction.
Investigators say Natale mailed the powder to American Business Center, at 7677 South Avenue, Youngstown, on November 10, 2014.
According to Carole S. Rendon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Natale intended to convey false and misleading information related to the use of a weapon of mass destruction,
Natale, who just took office as Warren auditor in January after running for the post unopposed, formerly worked at American Business Center. He was terminated on Oct. 6, 2014, according to court documents.
According to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court, an ABC employee opened an envelope and found a white powder inside.
Concerned that the powder could be harmful, the police and fire departments, as well as the county hazardous material response team were called to the building.
The employee and supervisor were decontaminated and transported for medical evaluations.
The Ohio Department of Health tested the powder and later determined that no toxins or pathogens were present.
The affidavit says that enclosed in the envelope containing the powder was a letter that had been sent to Natale notifying him of his health care options following his dismissal from ABC the previous month.
The FBI says the letter appeared to bear Natale’s signature.
According to the FBI, after Natale was fired for failing to meet sales goals, he became very irate.
Specifically, Natale yelled and slammed desk drawers, storming out of his supervisor’s office and sped out of the company’s parking lot, according to the affidavit.
Shortly thereafter, the supervisor received a text message from a cell phone he knew Natale to use. The message read: “I hope you die from cancer of the eys” (sic).
“This defendant scared employees at his former workplace who opened an envelope containing white powder that they thought was a toxin,” Rendon said. “He caused panic, fire, police and HazMat units were forced to respond, and his former employer was forced to close their operations for more than two days. Mr. Natale will be held accountable for his actions.”
“There are appropriate, lawful avenues to express your displeasure at work, and inducing panic by sending what is believed to be a weapon of mass destruction is not one of them,” said Stephen Antony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Cleveland office. “The FBI will continue efforts to identify and protect the public from threats such as the one perpetrated by Mr. Natale.”
As part of the terms for his release, Natale is prohibited from going near American Business Center or having contact with any of its employees.
