Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Alabama Man Might be the Dumbest Criminal Ever

A Haleyville, Alabama, man has been sentenced to three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to mailing a threatening letter to the Social Security Administration office in Cullman.

Patrick Bryant Wilson, 41, mailed a letter containing white powder and photos of the 9/11 attacks. Wilson said in a plea agreement that he wanted to scare Social Security officials into thinking the powder was anthrax.

How did Wilson get caught? He put a return address on the letter--his own, the real one.

Even the dunderheads in the U.S. Justice Department could solve that crime.

Actually, there is a serious element to this story. Why was Wilson ticked at Social Security? He had lost his job as a regional manager for the Guthrie's restaurant chain after getting hurt on the job. According to a filing from Wilson's attorney:

He became frustrated dealing with Social Security Disability Office and acted as he reflected in a 'stupid' manner by not only mailing the matters in the envelope but also making several phone calls as well.

Perhaps there is more to Wilson's workplace story than we know now. But a guy gets canned after getting hurt on the job? Sounds like he might have a potential lawsuit against Guthrie's. They sound like a big-hearted employer, don't they?

Wilson's sentence includes drug and alcohol counseling. That sounds like a good idea, along with a possible legal action against Guthrie's. After all, it doesn't look like Wilson is cut out for a life of crime.

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