Maybe Laro would have been screwed if he went to trail!!!! And Life in prison for trying to extract ricin from a castor bean??? That sounds a little severe!!!!!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Biological_Weapon_Conviction.html

Friday, June 30, 2006 · Last updated 9:44 p.m. PT

Man convicted of attempting to make ricin

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHOENIX -- A federal jury on Friday convicted a man of attempting to produce a biological weapon, a year after he was arrested for possessing explosives and illegal silencers.

Police found a large number of castor bean plants, which can be used to make ricin, in Denys Ray Hughes' apartment. Ricin is a poisonous protein that can be used as a biological weapon.

Hughes, 59, also was found guilty on charges of possessing a pipe bomb and illegal gun silencers.

He faces 10 years in prison for each of those convictions and life in prison on the biological weapons conviction. Sentencing was set for Oct. 2.

Authorities said Hughes was working alone and was not a member of a terrorist organization. They also said there was no evidence pointing to specific plans of attack.

Kansas authorities who had pulled over Hughes for a traffic violation tipped off Arizona authorities in July.

According to court documents, a sheriff's deputy found evidence of bomb-making materials and a "to-do" list that included buying cannon fuse.

Authorities said they searched Hughes' cabin in Wisconsin and found formulas for producing ricin, six bottles of castor beans and dimethyl sulfide, a solvent that can penetrate the skin and has been combined with ricin in other incidents.

Biological and chemical samples and an arsenal of weapons were found hidden behind the cabin's walls, authorities said.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0701phxbriefs0701.html

Phoenix news briefs

Jul. 1, 2006 12:00 AM

Man guilty of trying to making bio weapon

PHOENIX - A man arrested last year in a pipe-bomb investigation has been found guilty of trying to produce ricin, a biological weapon, officials said Friday.

Denys Ray Hughes, 59, of Phoenix, faces a possible sentence of life in prison for attempted production of a biological toxin for use as a weapon, prosecutors said.

Federal court jurors also found Hughes guilty of possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of an unregistered silencer, they said.

Investigators said that during a search of his Phoenix apartment last July, a pipe bomb and silencers were found, along with nine castor bean plants and precursor materials used in the manufacture of ricin.

Hughes will remain in custody pending sentencing Oct. 2 in U.S. District Court.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/state/14943316.htm

Man convicted for trying to make a biological weapon

Associated Press

PHOENIX - A federal jury found an Arizona man guilty on Friday of attempting to produce a biological weapon.

Police found a large amount of castor bean plants, which can be used to make ricin, in the Phoenix apartment of 59-year-old Denys Ray Hughes nearly a year ago.

Ricin is a poisonous protein that can be used as a biological weapon.

Authorities said Hughes is a survivalist who was working alone and that he wasn't a member of a terrorist organization. They also said there was no evidence pointing to specific plans of attack.

Hughes also was found guilty Friday on charges of possessing a pipe bomb and illegal gun silencers.

Each of those two convictions carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He also faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the biological weapon charge.

Kansas authorities who had pulled over Hughes for a traffic violation tipped off Arizona authorities.

A sheriff's deputy in Russell County, Kan., found evidence of bomb-making materials and a "to-do" list that included buying cannon fuse, according to court records.

Authorities said they later searched Hughes' cabin in Wisconsin and found formulas for producing ricin, six bottles of castor beans and dimethyl sulfide, a solvent that can penetrate the skin and has been combined with ricin in other incidents.

Biological and chemical samples and an arsenal of weapons were found hidden behind the cabin's walls, authorities said.

When later searching his Phoenix apartment, authorities said they found about 20 castor bean plants growing between 15 and 20 feet tall, unregistered weapon silencers and a pipe bomb.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060701/nysa005.html?.v=60



Press Release Source: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ATF Defendant Convicted of Attempted Production of Ricin, Bomb Making and Weapons Violations

Saturday July 1, 6:58 am ET

PHOENIX, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- William D. Newell, Special Agent in Charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced June 30, 2006, that Denys Ray Hughes, 59, of Phoenix, Ariz., was found guilty of Attempted Production of a Biological Toxin for Use as a Weapon, Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device and Possession of an Unregistered Silencer, by a federal jury in Phoenix.

Newell stated: "Any individuals that are intent on producing poisons such as ricin or other biological weapons will be dealt with severely."

The evidence at trial showed that Hughes grew castor bean plants and cultivated thousands of their seeds, which contain the toxin called ricin. Hughes further possessed the necessary precursor materials, as well as written instructions for extracting the toxin. The government also proved at trial that Hughes possessed a destructive device, specifically, a pipe bomb, and multiple silencers.

A conviction for Attempted Production of a Biological Toxin for Use as a Weapon carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine or both. Hughes remained in custody after trial. Sentencing is set for Oct. 2, 2006.

The investigation leading to the guilty verdict was conducted by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vilas County Sheriff's Office in Wisconsin and the Russell County Sheriff's Department in Kansas.

Contact: Thomas Mangan, PIO 602-776-5408