Olbermann Watch - MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann: No Jail Time for Olberstalker; Anthrax Hoaxer Gets Five Years on Funny Farm

Olbermann Watch, "persecuting" Keith since 2004

February 14, 2008

No Jail Time for Olberstalker; Anthrax Hoaxer Gets Five Years on Funny Farm

**World Exclusive**
**Must Credit OLBERMANN WATCH**

Chad Conrad Castagana sentenced for anthrax hoax on celebrities and politicians

KO%20-%20Castagana%20Threat%20Letter.jpg

(Los Angeles, CA) - A man convicted of mailing threatening letters laced with white powder to Keith Olbermann, Jon Stewart, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and other high-profile figures, was sentenced Friday to five years probation and remanded to the Gateways Community Corrections Center in Los Angeles, CA where he will receive psychiatric treatment and medication until such time as doctors believe he is longer a threat not to exceed the length of his probation. Chad Conrad Castagana, 40, was arrested in November 2006 and charged with conveying false information and sending threats by the U.S. mail. He was convicted last year and has been ordered not to have contact with the six individuals he targeted.

Last month, U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ordered that prior to sentencing Castagana be examined by Dr. Saul Faerstein, a Beverly Hills psychiatrist in order to provide the court with a diagnosis of Castagana as well as recommendations on treatment. Based on those recommendations, Castagana was remanded for custody to a yet-as-unidentified community corrections center.

Castagana, of Woodland Hills, CA, admitted to mailing 17 threatening letters including letters to Olbermann (4), Stewart (6), Pelosi (1) as well as Sen. Charles Schumer (1), Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone (1) and David Letterman (1), according to court records. The letters contained a white power, which Castagana told the FBI was whatever household items he had available including baking soda, laundry detergent and AJAX.

According to the 14-count federal indictment handed down by the Grand Jury in October 2006, the first letter was sent on September 9, 2006 intended for Jon Stewart of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” but other court records show the letter, postmarked Santa Clarita, CA, was sent to another man with a New York address with the same name. A second letter was sent to Stewart on September 25, 2006. A letter was sent to Olbermann on September 26th. Another letter was sent to both Stewart, on September 27th, and to Olbermann, on September 29th. A fourth letter was sent to Stewart on October 13, 2006 and a fifth on October 23rd. A letter was sent to Sumner Redstone on October 25th. A sixth letter was sent to Stewart on October 30, 2006. On November 1st , 2006 a letter was sent to Nancy Pelosi. On November 1st, 2006 a third letter was sent to Olbermann. On November 2nd a letter was sent to Letterman. On November 3rd a letter was sent to Schumer. On November 9th a fourth letter was sent to Olbermann. It was this letter that FBI agents observed Castagana mailing. The other three letters were not mentioned in the indictment but other records indicate two may have been intercepted by postal workers when they began to leak powder. Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward is also mentioned in the search warrant for Castagana’s home in Woodland Hills.

One of the letters addressed to Olbermann read “There are too many demagogues in America. All of you are poisoning the well ! Time to give your kind a taste of your own medicine . . .” and inside the envelope was a white powder which when tested was not found to be hazardous. Letters to other recipients referenced Alan Berg, a Denver-based talk show host who was murdered in 1984, and photos of cadavers. Return addresses on the letters included names like Barry White, Jay Leno, and William Shatner.

Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Los Angeles, made up of FBI agents and local police, arrested Castagana after observing him mailing what turned out to be a letter similar to the ones previously sent to Olbermann, Stewart and others. Investigators were given an initial description of Castagana by a postal worker who noticed him because he was sending mail using antique stamps. They later made a positive identification using a postal money order made out to "Friends of Katherine Harris", a then-candidate for U.S. Senate from the State of Florida. Harris, a former Congresswoman, played a key role in the 2000 presidential election when, as Secretary of State of Florida, she certified the Republican slate of electors thereby giving George W. Bush a narrow victory in the electoral college.

Castagana's letters were eerily familiar to NBC News personnel. In 2001, shortly after 9/11, the offices of NBC News, along with those of other media outlets and political offices were attacked with a weaponized form of anthrax. When the attacks ceased, 22 people contracted either inhalation or cutaneous anthrax and five died from their exposure to anthrax spores distributed via letter sent through the U.S. mail. Postal workers were also exposed and two of them were among the dead. The first anthrax letters were mailed to NBC and the New York Post. The National Enquirer, The Sun and the Senate offices of Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and other New York City news organizations were also targets.

FULL VERSION OF CHARGING DOCUMENTS:

Grand Jury Indictment
Affadavit, FBI Agent
Search Warrant for Castagana's residence

UPDATE: The Smoking Gun got the actual court order which has the name of the facility so I've update the post above. I was trying all day to get without success so they go the document first but I broke the story here.

Posted by Robert Cox | Permalink | Comments (30) | | View blog reactions

30 Comments

By Charlie on February 14, 2008 5:00 PM

Well, I guess this proves that these anything-less-than right-wing media haters are all nuthouse Republicans. This Castagana guy apparently knew or was at least associated with katherine Harris! I'm now convinced all these fake anthrax-senders (going back to 2001) are extreme right-wing republicans.

By Cecelia on February 14, 2008 5:09 PM

but you may continue your bitchin' about Keith Olbermann.
Posted by: Must make you olbyhaters feel pretty stupid at February 14, 2008 4:57 PM

You better believe it, brother.

The "anthrax" letter sent to him has been the only act of "terrorism" that Olbermann has taken seriously. He made fun of everything else, including the shoe bomber and the plot to kill soldiers at Fort Dix.

When it came to "domestic terrorism" as in...what happened to him... he didn't hesitate to link George Bush and Michelle Malkin to the action.

By olby sucks on February 14, 2008 5:10 PM

I don't think Katherine Harris was tied to him, whatsoever.

By Robert Cox on February 14, 2008 5:29 PM

"This Castagana guy apparently knew or was at least associated with katherine Harris!"

As my post indicates, he was traced through a postal money order intended for Harris. There is no information that he "knew" her or was "associated" with her. It's not even clear if he ever sent the money order.

Come on people focus! I broke this story, working on something else, when I was making some inquiries at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. It's not every day that we BREAK news here. How about a little credit! Jeez!

By Cecelia on February 14, 2008 5:40 PM

Has the February 13th thread been closed, Bob? I can't get the Post A Comment thing to download.

By olby sucks on February 14, 2008 5:50 PM

It's just 'charlie', Robert. He's a very desperate olbyloon. Everything is a vast right wing conspiracy, to him.

By Robert Cox on February 14, 2008 6:32 PM

Ha! Smoking Gun just posted the story. Well that's a first for Olbermann Watch, scooping The Smoking Gun. To their credit they got the actual court order which has the name of the facility he was sent to so I updated the post and provide a link to Mr. Castagana's new home.

I tried all darn day to get that court order and had no luck. Oh well.

By Steve on February 14, 2008 6:57 PM

Olbermann is offering the Kossacks a "sneak peak" of his "Special Commentary" this evening on the FISA legislation.

Yes, a "peak".

His spelling is as assiduous as his impartiality and professionalism.

By Cecelia on February 14, 2008 7:18 PM

Olbermann is offering the Kossacks a "sneak peak" of his "Special Commentary" this evening on the FISA legislation.

Yes, a "peak".

His spelling is as assiduous as his impartiality and professionalism.

Posted by: Steve at February 14, 2008 6:57 PM

Olbermann probably meant "peak" as in the peak of the Kos Kid's existence...

They'd agree... :D

By Robert Cox on February 14, 2008 7:44 PM

a few quick notes...

1) take a look down the left rail and you will see a little feedburner box that updates each time Keith adds a post to Daily Kos.

2) i added links to PDF versions of all the charging documents.

3) anyone who puts up a post which states or otherwise suggests that castagana did something amusing or worthwhile will find their post deleted.

By Katy Turic on February 14, 2008 7:49 PM

His Speshul Komment gets a sneak "peak"
Because his ratings are really weak
He'll stammer and spit
Say "pimp" and won't quit
The outlook for Countdown is bleak

By Bill O'lielly on February 14, 2008 8:32 PM

Hell.. Most rightwingers belong in a mental home.

By Missouri Show Me on February 14, 2008 8:33 PM

You know, I could accept it if KO made this guy Worst Person in the World.

By Bill O'lielly on February 14, 2008 8:36 PM

sheeat.. Bob Cox post more on his site than all of the rest of the posters combined, and says less.

By Anonymous on February 14, 2008 8:37 PM

The theme of Olby's Speshul Komment is that "we" will not fear because the president/government tells us to. Olby fears those who send him soap flakes.

You'd think that someone who was the victim of a terrorist would be a bit more vigilant. As lame as the soap flakes incident was, it was intended to incite fear and therefore was an act of terror against Olby.

Wake up and smell the Tide, Olbytard. Thankfully, the idiot who threatened you was caught and prosecuted.

By Anonymous on February 14, 2008 8:44 PM

Really, you all need to check out the comments on that kos diary. Someone actually posted her hand drawn artwork of Keith because he's so dreamy.

So, is Katy out of the picture that he has to go to Kos for some love on Valentine's Day? Do you think he prints out these love fests so he can read them over and over, to remind himself just how wonderful he is.

By Anonymous on February 14, 2008 8:55 PM

Uh oh, Keith's doing his special comment early in the show and the laughing stage hand did not have time to don his slicker.

By Anonymous on February 14, 2008 8:59 PM

How is calling Castagana a terrorist saying that what he did is amusing or worthwhile? It is saying he is a terrorist. Huh?

By Anonymous on February 14, 2008 9:07 PM

A kossack comments:
"Wouldn't it be fantastic to have KO as a guest speaker, wandering around among his fellow Kossacks, because he definitely is one now. He has even surpassed honorary member status. He is officially one of us."

He's finally a member of a team.

By Ender on February 14, 2008 9:22 PM

Congrats on breaking the story. This is one of my 3 favorite sites on the Interwebs.

Thanks for your hard work.

I'll be sure to assiduously peak in every day.

By olby sucks on February 15, 2008 12:07 AM

You obviously have very low standards and we're chipping in to buy you a copy of Hooked on Phonics for your welcoming gift.

Posted by: at February 14, 2008 11:40 PM

Feel better, now? I hope so.

By donsmith7777 on February 15, 2008 12:39 PM

What BS... you did not "break" this story, my Google alert on Chad Castagana came from Smoking Gun.

What are you smoking?

By donsmith7777 on February 15, 2008 12:42 PM

But to make you feel better, Fox News makes stuff up all the time too.

By olby sucks on February 15, 2008 12:52 PM

> I'm still waiting for proof that I claimed anything of the sort. You'd be lying.

I beieve this is the exchange he's referring to:

The truth is that in poll after poll ( and that's all we have to go on) America favors the democrats over republicans in every single issue.
America is a whole lot smarter than the low IQ partisan hacks at this site.

posted by why as anon

Ok. Lets go one issue at a time, since that's all you can handle. Immigration. Name one (d) candidate that wants a fence. 70% of Americans want a fence or the border controlled.
(Feb 10)

Posted by: johnny dollar at February 14, 2008 11:23 AM

By olby sucks on February 15, 2008 1:50 PM

Looks like crazy marry has run off into the sunset w/her tail between her legs......

By Anonymous on February 15, 2008 2:54 PM

Looks like crazy marry has run off into the sunset w/her tail between her legs......

Posted by: olby sucks at February 15, 2008 1:50 PM

Dummy,
You are posting TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S posts and claiming they are from the same person.

THICK THICK THICK

By olby sucks on February 15, 2008 3:46 PM

Dummy,
You are posting TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S posts and claiming they are from the same person.

THICK THICK THICK

Posted by: at February 15, 2008 2:54 PM

Proof?

By Anonymous on February 15, 2008 4:41 PM

Why don't you just cry out to J$ or RCox and ask them for your PROOF.

Its one of the only things you do well.

By olby sucks on February 15, 2008 4:47 PM

Its one of the only things you do well.

Posted by: at February 15, 2008 4:41 PM

Proof?

By johnny dollar on February 16, 2008 12:21 PM

This thread is now closed!

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30 Comments