Fired teacher sent ‘suspicious powder’ to four Florida schools as revenge, feds say
Four elementary schools in Florida received a white powdery substance in the mail accompanied by a cryptic message about “punishment” that required officers in hazmat gear to intervene, according to federal prosecutors.
Now a 66-year-old former teacher is fessing up.
Maria Bassi Lauro pleaded guilty this month to concocting a hoax involving biological agents and toxins, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said Friday in a news release. She faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
A defense attorney representing Lauro did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment Friday.
Prosecutors said four schools within an hour or so of Orlando received letters in 2018 from an unknown sender. They included Citrus Ridge Academy and Four Corners Charter School in Davenport, Groveland Elementary School in Groveland and Laurel Elementary School in Poinciana.
“All four of the mailings contained a suspicious powder, and three of the mailings included notes indicating they were ‘punishment,’” prosecutors said in Friday’s news release.
Police in hazmat gear were called in response, according to the release. After testing, prosecutors said law enforcement determined the substance was sodium bicarbonate — better known as baking soda.
Investigators later determined Lauro had been “fired for poor performance” from all four of the schools, according to the release. The recipients of her letters had reportedly played a role in her performance review or termination.
“Lauro admitted she had sent the mailings because she was upset with each victim and school,” prosecutors said. “Additionally, she admitted she sent the mailings with the intent to threaten each victim and cause them to believe he or she had been exposed to a deadly biological toxin.”
Lauro was indicted by a grand jury in September 2019 on six counts of making threats and hoaxes involving biological agents and toxins, court documents show.
She was released under a $20,000 bond and awaits sentencing.
