Documents reveal series of federal search warrants
Originally published August 07, 2008

By Nicholas C. Stern

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyID=78499

The Frederick News-Post staff reviewed documents unsealed Wednesday afternoon by a U.S. District Court judge in charge of the FBI's nearly seven-year investigation into the 2001 anthrax mailings that killed five and left 17 injured.

Fort Detrick scientist Bruce Ivins became the subject of a series of federal search warrants granted to U.S. Postal Inspectors and FBI agents in late 2007 and early 2008.

On Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, 2007, federal officials executed six searches of Ivins' home, cars, a safe deposit box and his office, lab and work lockers. Of those searches, four resulted in no seized materials.

In February 2008, federal officials made four searches of Ivins' e-mail accounts, one of which resulted in the seizure of photographs on CDs.

The following list includes materials seized from searches.

Ivins' work

On Oct. 31, 2007, FBI agents obtained a warrant for Bruce Ivins' lockers, office and lab areas at Fort Detrick, which authorized a search for traces of anthrax, hairs and clothing fibers, lab equipment and other evidence relating to the 2001 anthrax mailings.

On Nov. 2, 2007, investigators removed from his office:

- a binder of slides;

- two business cards;

- a paper containing usernames;

- a red envelope labeled "safe deposit box key";

- a video cassette labeled "House Contents";

- photocopies of ID and credit cards;

- a printout from abcnews.com;

- five manila folders of documents;

- 13 optical disks, 13 zip disks, floppy disks, and thumb drives;

- two hard drives;

- a Dell computer.

Ivins' home

A search warrant for Ivins' Frederick residence was executed on the evening of Nov. 1, 2007. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson signed the order to Postal Inspector Thomas F. Dellafera and FBI Special Agent Kellie O'Brien oversaw the search. The following list includes some of the items seized:

- Three cardboard boxes labeled "Paul Kemp, Attorney client privilege," one of which contained scientific research documents;

- A Glock 27 handgun;

- Counter-surveillance package/equipment;

- Five cards from Respect Life Committee;

- A notebook detailing firearms training and contacts;

- A paperback copy of Albert Camus' "The Plague";

- A black briefcase containing a Glock 43 pistol; a Beretta pistol and a Glock 27 pistol;

-A (Phi) Beta Kappa new-member handbook;

- Various photographs, computers, computer disks, audio and video tapes, laboratory supplies and a booklet on "Crystal Origin";

- WMD documents from the American Red Cross.

Investigators obtained another warrant July 11, 2008, two days after Ivins reportedly made threatening statements at a group counseling session. He was at Frederick Memorial Hospital at the time the search warrant was issued.

Ivins reportedly told therapist Jean Duley that he planned to kill his coworkers, and that he had a bulletproof vest and would obtain a Glock from his son.

Investigators executed the warrant on the afternoon of July 12, 2008. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson signed the order to U.S. Postal Inspector Charles B. Wickersham and FBI Special Agent Marlo Arredondo oversaw the search. The following list includes some of the items seized:

- Attorney-client documents;

- In the room of Andy Ivins (Bruce Ivins' son): a spent bullet round in a hamper of dirty clothes; a 12-gauge shotgun round; a plastic baggie with almost four dozen .22-caliber rounds; a live 9 mm Winchester round;

- Alliant Powder 2400, smokeless magnum handgun powder in a closet near the entryway on the floor;

- In room "K," homemade, yellow body armor with silver duct tape; a black, bulletproof vest, size medium; one box with 55 .40-caliber rounds; a box with 50 .40-caliber rounds; a box with 11 9 mm rounds; a magazine with 16 9 mm rounds and a magazine with 14 9 mm rounds under a wooden dresser in a brown bag next to a Glock 27 carrying case. Three more loaded magazines and a box of hollow point rounds were discovered in the same room.

Also in room "K," a blue notebook containing Alcoholics Anonymous notes that concerned social workers.

- In room "F," A handwritten note regarding counselor Jean Dooley (Jean Duley) found on a kitchen table.