Quincy Man Arrested for Mailing Suspicious White Substance to Congress Offices Matthew Unglesbee of Quincy, Illinois, was charged federally after sending letters containing a white substance and threatening messages to congressional offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C. The letters were intercepted by FBI and hazardous‑materials teams, but tests found no toxins. Unglesbee admitted to using table salt, claiming it looked like anthrax. He faces charges of hoax and threatening communications and will appear again on Oct. 28 for a detention hearing. A 36‑year‑old resident of Quincy, Illinois, Matthew Unglesbee, has been arrested on federal charges that he mailed letters containing a suspicious white, granular substance to the offices of several members of Congress. The letters, all delivered in plain, white, letter‑sized envelopes with handwritten addresses, were found in congressional offices in Chicago and one in Washington, D.C. Each envelope held a piece of the white material and a short handwritten message - one simply read "HA HA," another read "HAH enjoy the gift.Preliminary Tests Show No Toxins" Preliminary laboratory testing of the substance failed to detect any chemical or biological toxins. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the case arose after an anonymous tip was received on Oct. 16. The tipster claimed to have overheard Unglesbee at a restaurant saying he had mailed "suspicious substances" to members of Congress across the country and provided the suspect's full name, address, and date of birth.FBI agents acting on that tip followed up in Chicago, where they recovered three letters from the offices of members of Congress on Oct. 21. Local hazardous‑materials teams were dispatched to most of the offices to examine the envelopes. The investigation continued when FBI personnel recovered a fourth letter on Oct. 23 from the office of another congressman.Suspect Admits Using Table SaltAuthorities reviewed postal records and determined the four letters were mailed from Unglesbee's home in Quincy on Oct. 16 or 17, then postmarked in Springfield on Oct. 19. Unglesbee was interviewed at his home on Oct. 25, where he admitted to sending the letters after hearing others discuss similar suspicious mailings that had occurred earlier in the month. He told investigators that he used table salt, describing it as "kind of looks like" anthrax.A fifth, empty envelope addressed to a member of Congress in Washington, D.C. , was found in his residence during the search. The charges against Unglesbee include false information, hoaxes, and mailing threatening communications. He appeared in federal court on Monday to face the complaint and is scheduled to return for a detention hearing on Oct. 28 at the federal courthouse in Springfield.Case Highlights Heightened VigilanceThe federal complaint was filed in Sangamon County and the DOJ has indicated that no toxic materials were found in the letters, though the white substance's appearance was reminiscent of potential chemical or biological agents, prompting the hazardous‑materials response. The case highlights the heightened vigilance around mail threats to public officials following a series of high‑profile incidents earlier in the year. Congressional offices have heightened security protocols and coordinate closely with the FBI's National Threat Operations Center in these situations.Unglesbee's arrest is part of the DOJ's broader effort to deter and prosecute individuals who attempt to alarm or threaten lawmakers with dangerous materials or the appearance thereof.