Crime & Safety
Hatboro Man Arrested, Charged with Sending Card Laced with Ricin
Police said the toxin was sent to a romantic rival.
A Hatboro man was arrested Wednesday night after police said he mailed a card containing the toxin ricin to a romantic rival.
Nicholas Todd Helman, 19, has been charged with attempted murder, the Bucks County District Attorney's office said, and is being held in lieu of bail.
Helman sent the ricin to a man now dating Helman's ex-girlfriend, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Helman bragged about sending the toxic card to a co-worker at the Warrington Target, police told the Inquirer. The co-worker contacted the police.
The card was intercepted by authorities on March 7, before it could be opened.
Initial tests did not reveal the presence of ricin, the Inquirer said, and so Helman was charged only with making terroristic threats and harassment.
Subsequent, more detailed tests showed that the card had in fact contained ricin, the Inquirer said.
Helman was arrested a second time Wednesday at his home on Byberry Street in Hatboro. A HazMat team, SWAT team, police officers and officials with the FBI all were present for the arrest, NBC reported.
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