A New Albany, Ohio, man has been charged with federal crimes related to sending at least 65 letters and emails to 34 victims, including state public officials, a local TV station and law enforcement, threatening to kill Ohio public officials. Many of the letters included a white powder and one letter included a bullet etched with the victim’s last name.
Ronald Lidderdale, 39, appeared in federal court in Columbus this afternoon. He is charged with making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking.
According to charging documents, Lidderdale allegedly sent the threatening communications to publicly elected officials holding statewide office in Ohio, elected officials holding office in the federal government, and individuals involved in Ohio politics.
It is alleged that Lidderdale sent at least 49 letters containing suspicious white powders, which at times the sender claimed to be Ricin. To date, 29 victims received the white powder letters.
One letter contained a 9mm bullet with the last name of the public official etched on it.
For example, between July and early August 2024, it is alleged that Lidderdale sent a dozen threatening letters via the mail in five different mailings. The return labels on the letters contained mailing information for individuals who were either currently or previously employed by the targeted public official.
Lidderdale allegedly threatened violence against the letter recipients in each of the letters, including language like, “I will kill you for your ignorant loyalty to your pedophilic party” and “I will kill you for the good of The People. Your death will come when you least expect it.”
Last week, Lidderdale allegedly sent letters to eight victims containing a hitlist of eight individuals he said he would kill in the month of May.
Court documents allege that Lidderdale sent a letter to a local TV station and emails to federal and local law enforcement outlining his plans.
It is further alleged that Lidderdale sent threatening emails to public officials stating, “Each [victim] will receive the gift of their names etched onto a single bullet. Their skull is the target the bullet is the gift.”
On May 8, Lidderdale allegedly told FBI agents that he had sent the letters and emails with the intent to incite fear, including the fear of bodily injury, and to make threats with the goal of changing behavior.
Mailing threatening communications carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, conveying false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking are all federal crimes punishable by up to five years in prison.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio; Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office; and Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); as well as the U.S. Capitol Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol and several Ohio police departments announced the charges filed today.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Damoun Delaviz and Jessica W. Knight for the Southern District of Ohio, and Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.