FBI arrests Seattle man in connection with suspicious powder incidents

FBI agents arrested a 35-year-old Seattle man early Friday afternoon in an investigation of envelopes sent to The Seattle Times that contained a suspicious white powder.

The man was booked into the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac and will have an initial appearance before a judge Monday, FBI spokeswoman Robbie Burroughs said.

The Seattle Times typically does not name individuals unless they are charged.

"We are very pleased to hear an arrest has been made. We hope this puts an end to these disturbing incidents," Seattle Times spokeswoman Jill Mackie said.

Burroughs said the suspect was arrested "for the white-powder-letter incidents only."

Authorities also are investigating an incident in which a suspicious device was found in a Seattle Times sidewalk newspaper box in Bothell.

Seattle Fire Department hazardous-materials teams were called to The Times' office on John Street in the South Lake Union area on two consecutive days last month after envelopes containing an unknown powder were received in a mailroom.

Burroughs declined to say what the substance was and whether it was dangerous, noting that more information would be released when charges are filed.

It is not clear if the letters were related to the device found inside a sidewalk newspaper box on Main Street in Bothell.

The King County bomb squad "disrupted" the device, Bothell police Capt. Denise Langford said at the time.

The FBI also was involved in the investigation of the Bothell incident.

Authorities have not said whether the device was explosive.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com