ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Vienna man has pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered ricin on Wednesday.
Ricin is a toxin that's naturally found in castor beans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is found in the part of the waste “mash” created during production of castor oil, and is poisonous to humans.
Court documents show 42-year-old Russell Richardson Vane IV, a federal worker, used his workplace computer to look up instructions on how to isolate the ricin toxin from castor beans on multiple occasions in December 2022. Investigators say Vane then obtained castor beans and successfully separated the ricin toxin at his residence some time during December 2022 or January 2023.
Vane allegedly stored a sample of the ricin in a test tube for further testing in his home, but was unable to obtain the required testing equipment. Investigators found laboratory equipment that Vane used to isolate the ricin during a search of his residence on April 10, 2024.
The Public Health Services Act requires a registration for lawful possession of ricin, which Vane had failed to obtain. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7, and faces up to five years in prison. Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga is presiding over the case.
