News (USA)

Man accused of sending threatening letter to Des Moines gay bar

The Des Moines Police Department says 49-year-old Eric Reese Wiethorn, of Ames, was charged Thursday with first-degree harassment in connection with the letter sent to Blazing Saddle, a gay bar.
By · Updated on April 29, 2015
Man accused of sending threatening letter to Des Moines gay bar
Blazing Saddle, Des Moines, Iowa.
Blazing Saddle, Des Moines, Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa — A man accused of sending a threatening letter that contained white powder to a Des Moines bar has been arrested.

The Des Moines Police Department says 49-year-old Eric Reese Wiethorn, of Ames, was charged Thursday with first-degree harassment in connection with the letter sent to Blazing Saddle, a gay bar.

Firefighters closed a street in Des Moines’ East Village on March 27 after an opened the envelope and white powder spilled out.

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Sgt. Jason Halifax says the powder was later determined to be harmless and the letter was confiscated. The incident prompted firefighters to close East Fifth Street between Grand and Locust streets for about an hour.

Wiethorn is being held at the Polk County Jail on $2,000 bond. Calls to his home for comment went unanswered Thursday.

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