United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

FORMER BRIDGEPORT MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MAILING THREATENING COMMUNICATIONS

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced that ANTHONY M. PERONE, age 20, of 402 Willow Street, Fairmont, Minnesota, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to Counts Two and Three of an Indictment that charged him with mailing threatening communications to a female in Connecticut with whom he attended third and fourth grade more than 12 years ago.

According to documents filed with the Court, in early May 2006, PERONE sent two threatening letters to an address in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in which he threatened to kill or cause serious bodily harm to a female with whom he attended third and fourth grade several years ago.

The first letter, sent on or about May 4, 2006, bore the PERONE’s name and return address, which appeared to be in a handwriting that was different from both that of the address and the contents of the letter. The contents of the letter addressed the victim as follows: “your as Beatiful as the sunset. ugly as the night. come with me and I’ll treat you Right. If not prepare to fight.” [sic]. The letter also contained a series of drawings, including a hand-drawn picture of a heart with a bite or a chunk taken out of it, and five drops of blood coming from it, all colored in red with what appeared to be crayon or red colored pencil. The letter contained the words “your heart” with an arrow pointing to the drawing of the heart; and the words “your blood,” with an arrow pointing toward the drawing of the drops of blood. To the right of the heart appeared a drawing of an assault weapon/rifle colored in light black. Above the drawing of the assault weapon appeared the words “The Gun; your pain” with an arrow pointing down toward the drawing of the assault rifle. The letter also contained a drawing of a tombstone that bore the victim’s name followed by “RIP.” The tombstone was surrounded by four flowers (two on each side) and, to the left of the drawing with an arrow pointing right were the words “your Tombstone where you Lye.” [sic]. Below that drawing, in the middle and center of the page, was a drawing of two hands, holding hands. To the left of the drawing, with an arrow pointing right, were the words “your hand and mine will meet.” Below that, in the bottom center of the page, was a drawing of a house with the words “your house will be destroyed,” with an arrow pointing toward the drawing. PERONE signed the letter “your Secret admireir.” [sic].

The second letter, sent on approximately May 16, 2006, also bore the PERONE’s name and return address, which again appeared to be in a handwriting that was different from both that of the address and the contents of the letter. In essence, the second letter set forth a chronological series of pictures purportedly from the victim’s and PERONE’s third and fourth grade elementary school classes together, the substance of which appeared to be intended to have the victim guess who had sent her the letter through a series of progressive, depicted clues. Drawings in the letter, for example, depicted various events that occurred in the victim and PERONE’s third and fourth grade classroom, auditorium and gymnasium. One of the final pages of the letter addressed the victim as follows:

WAR Games Begin

[VICTIM’S NAME REDACTED]
now comes a point in your
Life where everything changes. for
20 years you Lived a rich Life
with everything. money, family,
Being popular. It’s now gonna end.
your gonna learn about suffering
and having nothing. pain you
will feel. fear, Being alive.
prepare yourself. Because the war
will not take place in the future.
The Last Stand or fight will take
place in the present time which
is tonight.

[sic].

The page was signed “Death Stalker” with a drawing of an assault rifle labeled “gun” with three bullets coming out of it.

On the last page of the second letter appeared the words “DEATH STALKER.” in large capital, colored-in letters. Among other things, the page contained a drawing of two persons – one identified as the defendant, one as the victim. The person identified as the victim contained no head / a severed head and the person labeled as the defendant was shown a drawing of a girl’s head labeled “your head.” The last page of the letter also contained the following words:

You made my Life a
Living hell. a Long time
ago. I Suffered from it.
now your gonna feel that.
no one can help you. I
will never Stop
until you are mine.

Love
Death
Stalker

PS NEVER Sleep sound
Again. I’m comin for you.
I’m Watchin your every
move.

[sic].

According to statements made in court and documents previously filed in court, on June 6, 2006, federal law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at PERONE’s Minnesota residence during which they recovered, among other things, hundreds of pages of additional writings and drawings evidencing threats and plans to kill not only the victim, but also certain of her third and fourth grade co-students and her family. Officers also seized what appeared to be additional mailings, namely writings and drawings, virtually identical to the mailings previously sent, that were directed to the victim.

Law enforcement officers also recovered a recently purchased assault rifle with a scope (which was consistent with the firearms PERONE had drawn in his mailings). Officers also obtained a copy of the receipt and other documentation related to PERONE’s purchase of the assault rifle, which indicated that he had purchased the weapon between the time of the receipt of the first letter and PERONE’s sending of the second. Officers also recovered a backpack that was filled with hundreds of rounds of ammunition; a packed suitcase that contained a machete or sword with what appeared to be a recently sharpened blade that was at least 16 to 18 inches in length; additional knives, flashlights and binding wire that were packed and ready to go; documents suggesting imminent travel to Connecticut; documents reflecting research on the defendant’s victim and her location; and various “to do lists” that discussed, among other things, places to stay in Connecticut, additional things to add to his arsenal (e.g., hand grenades, homemade bombs, additional firearms, etc.), additional items to obtain or purchase (e.g., a mask; and a glass cutter) and thoughts on completing his task (e.g., “break in at night.”).

In light of the results of the search, PERONE was arrested the same day on a criminal complaint and an arrest warrant issued by a United States District Judge in the District of Connecticut.

Prior to PERONE’s arrest, PERONE and his mother and father (who all lived together) also voluntarily gave statements to law enforcement officers. During those statements, PERONE confessed to having written the letters at issue, and causing them to be sent. Specifically, interviews with PERONE and his parents determined that the defendant authored and addressed the letters and caused them to be mailed by his mother who, reportedly believing they were simply innocuous letters intended for a friend in Connecticut, and having noticed that her son neglected to include his return address on the envelopes, wrote the return address on both of them on his behalf, and arranged, at PERONE’s direction, to have them mailed.

The investigation determined that the victim and PERONE did, in fact, attend elementary school together. According to statements made in court and documents previously filed in court, until the incident, the victim did not remember the defendant at all.

Judge Hall has scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2007, at 10:00 a.m., at which time PERONE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $500,000. Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, PERONE also consented to the entry of a protective order that prohibits him from future harassment of the victim, after the conclusion of the criminal case.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Reynolds.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov