Texas actress arrested in ricin case, officials say

A pregnant Texas actress who told FBI agents her husband had sent ricin-tainted letters to President Barack Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was charged Friday with threatening the president.

Shannon Richardson, also known as Shannon Guess and Shannon Rogers, of New Boston, Texas was arrested in Mt. Pleasant, Texas on Friday, a news release from the U.S. attorney's office in the eastern district of Texas states. She also made an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Caroline M. Craven in Texarkana, Texas on Friday afternoon, according to the release.

She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, U.S. attorney's office spokesman Davilyn Walston said.

A May 20 arrest affidavit accuses Richardson, 35, of mailing three letters containing ricin to Obama and Mark Glaze in Washington, D.C., as well as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the release states.

FBI agents wearing hazardous material suits were seen going in and out of her house Wednesday in New Boston, about 150 miles northeast of Dallas near the Oklahoma and Arkansas borders. Officials have said the search was initiated after the resident's spouse contacted the FBI.

John Delk, who represents her husband Nathaniel Richardson, said his client is in the process of divorcing his wife and claimed she was trying to set him up when she contacted authorities about the letters.

It was not immediately clear if Shannon Richardson, an actress and mother of five children, has an attorney.

Her resume on the Internet movie database IMDb said she has had small television roles in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Walking Dead." She also had a minor role in the movie "The Blind Side" and appeared in an Avis commercial, according to the resume.

Delk said Richardson came to him to discuss a potential divorce a year ago and finally hired him on May 6, weeks before the ricin incident came to light.

Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.