NEWS RELEASE

UNITED STATES POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE

LOS ANGELES DIVISION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 25, 2010

Contact: Postal Inspector Renee Focht, 626-405-1285 or 626-672-5517

Reward Offered in UCI Letter Investigation

The United States Postal Inspection Service is announcing a reward of up to $10,000 for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for mailing
threatening letters that were received by University of California Irvine faculty members as
they returned to work the first week of January following the winter break. The letters were
mailed from Idaho around December 21. Anyone with information, is urged to contact the
United States Postal Inspection Service 24-hour National Law Enforcement Communication
Center at 877-876-2455, select option 2. Callers may remain anonymous.

The Postal Inspection Service, the University of California Irvine Police Department, and
the Federal Bureau of Investigation have joined forces in the investigation and continue to
follow-up on leads provided by the public.

Sending threats and hoaxes through the U.S. Mail is a federal offense. Individuals
responsible for mailing threatening communications may be fined and imprisoned up to 20
years (Title 18 USC 876.) Individuals responsible for conveying false or misleading
information or hoaxes may be fined or imprisoned up to five years (Title 18 USC 1038.)

Postal Inspectors have the expertise to trace items sent through the mail and 200 years
experience in this type of investigation. Postal Inspectors trained as Dangerous Mail
Investigations Specialists use state-of-the-art screening equipment to respond to reports of
suspicious substances in the mail to determine whether the substances are hazardous and
could pose a threat to the public.

Postal Inspectors advise you follow these steps if you encounter a suspicious letter or
package:

• Isolate suspicious items and secure the immediate area.

• Note any writing or markings on the outside of the item, without disturbing it.
• Contact Postal Inspectors and, if anyone is having medical problems or if smoke or
vapors are present, also call 911.

If you have information about anyone using the U.S. Mail to commit a crime, call U.S.
Postal Inspectors at 1-877-876-2455, select option 2.

About the U.S. Postal Inspection Service

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is one of the oldest federal law enforcement agencies in the country. For more than 200
years, Postal Inspectors have protected the U.S. Postal Service, secured the nation’s mail system and ensured public trust in
the mail. To learn more, visit http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov.
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