Threatening letters suspect in court

The mass mailing of the menacing envelopes, which were postmarked in Portland and contained a white powdery substance later determined to be harmless, triggered a security alert in Congress and among several media outlets. Authorities have yet to discuss a possible motive for the letters. A federal indictment returned last Friday against Christopher Lee Carlson, 39, charged him with one count of mailing a threatening communication to a member of Congress and one count of mailing a letter threatening to use a biological weapon to a US senator. If convicted of both offenses, Carlson, who authorities said resided in the vicinity of Portland and its Vancouver, Washington, suburbs, faces a combined maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. He was arrested at his home on Friday. Unshaven and wearing a white T-shirt and Khaki pants for his brief court appearance in Tacoma on Monday, Carlson acknowledged that he understood the charges and waived his right to an identity hearing.