An East Cleveland man with a prior conviction in the 2012 Route 82 bridge-bombing plot has been indicted on federal charges alleging he possessed the deadly biological toxin ricin.
Brandon L. Baxter, 34, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday, according to U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer. The indictment charges Baxter with prohibitions with respect to biological weapons and with possessing a biological toxin as a restricted person. Prosecutors allege he was in possession of ricin, a lethal toxin derived from castor beans.
Baxter is one of several people convicted in connection with a plot more than a decade ago to blow up a bridge over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Brecksville. That case drew national attention when members of the group were caught after working with an FBI informant. Baxter served time for his role in the attempted bombing before his release.
If convicted on the new federal charges, Baxter faces up to 15 years in prison. He is scheduled to be arraigned on October 14 before Magistrate Judge Jonathan D. Greenberg. Court records did not list an attorney for Baxter, and federal prosecutors declined to discuss where the ricin was found or how investigators became aware of it.
Ricin is a highly potent toxin with no known antidote, and even small amounts can be fatal if ingested, inhaled or injected. Federal law treats the unlawful possession of the substance as a serious offense, and restricted persons — including convicted felons — are barred from possessing it under any circumstances.
The U.S. Attorney’s office said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact federal law enforcement. Baxter is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
