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DANVERS MAN CHARGED WITH SENDING THREATENING LETTER TO IRANIAN-AMERICAN CITIZEN

BOSTON, MA - A Danvers man was indicted today by a federal grand jury for sending a threatening letter to a local Iranian-American citizen.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Edward Davis, Commissioner of the Boston Police Department, announced that a federal indictment has been returned charging THOMAS F. LAWLOR, 49, of Danvers, Massachusetts, with one count of Mailing a Threatening Communication.

The indictment alleges that LAWLOR mailed a letter to an Iranian-American citizen at his place of business which contained threats to injure the recipient and was also laced with ethnic and religious slurs. According to the indictment, the letter was mailed on or about November 8, 2005, and stated, in part:

“I want a cash payment of $20,000 or I’m going to cut your (EXPLETIVE) off and stick them in your mouth you fat bald headed little muslim (EXPLETIVE).

I have followed you and know what you drive and where you live you (EXPLETIVE) sand (EXPLETIVE).

You think you can come into my neighborhood and (EXPLETIVE) up my property you have made a bad mistake. Your not back in the Iranian (EXPLETIVE) hole that you came from you (EXPLETIVE).

I want the money in cash within a week or you are going to get a visit at home late at night from some nasty people who hate (EXPLETIVE) muslim scum bags.”

LAWLOR will be summonsed into court for arraignment at a later date that has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, LAWLOR faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.

The case was investigated jointly by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Detectives from the Community Disorders Unit of the Boston Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Theodore Merritt in Sullivan’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.