2 more Lansing businesses receive threatening letters as FBI, postal service investigate

LANSING — Federal agencies continue investigations into threatening letters received by Lansing area businesses in the mail.

The FBI's Detroit field office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, are asking people to reach out to them after 517 Coffee Company and Dicker & Deal, both of Lansing, told the Lansing State Journal they received concerning mail. In recent weeks, Strange Matter Coffee and the Gathering Coffee companies received letters containing threatening messages.

517 Coffee Company owner James Defrees told the State Journal Friday he received a 10-page letter on Feb. 16 with "police" as the recipient on the envelope but with the shop's address. He said the letter seemed more "prophetic in nature rather than direct threats." The letter had swastikas, planes dropping bombs and other "ramblings" relating to WW III and former President Donald Trump.

"As far as content goes the letter claims to be from someone who is Russian. Lots of Bible references, number sequences, drawings like: swastikas, planes dropping bombs, etc., and references to WWIII and Jewish people/Jewish religion," Defrees wrote in an email. "In parts, the letter claims "they have Nazis" in the U.S., Russia will bomb US power plants, Don Trump is or will be back, Trump is starting a war, as well as mentioning other countries like Israel, Iran, France, and the UK."

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The owner of the company on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard contacted the Lansing Police Department and gave the letter to an officer.

"I showed the letter to the officer, he called his superior and they determined they should take it 'just in case,' but didn't feel there was any threat to us."

An employee with Dicker & Deal Second Hand Store in Lansing who declined to provide their name and said the company's Cedar Street location received "two or three" letters within the past month and trashed them.

The Lansing Police Department wrote on Facebook last week it's aware of the letters and there isn't a credible threat to the public. LPD's Public Information Officer Jordan Gulkis confirmed the FBI took over the investigation. She declined to elaborate on what led the department to conclude there is no credible threat from the letters, and referred additional questions to the FBI.

FBI Detroit Public Affairs Officer Special Agent Mara Schneider said last week is aware of the threats.

"The FBI takes threats to the public very seriously. We work closely with our local partners to assess and respond to threats and keep our community safe," she wrote." As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities that could represent a threat to public safety."

A message was left with Schneider Monday.

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The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service, asked Monday for people to report related letters to inspectors immediately by calling 877-876-2455. They've cautioned people to keep the letters sealed for investigators.

"The Postal Inspection Service is coordinating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as other state and local agencies, in our investigation of these suspicious letters and would like to assure the American public that these suspicious letters are being investigated and taken seriously," Postal Inspector Team Leader Andrew Brandsasse wrote in an email.

Mailing threats is punishable by up to five years in prison, Brandsasse added.

Defrees received the letter days after the mass shooting at Michigan State University. He said the letter triggered emotions of fear and uneasiness as his daughter was on campus that night, and he wondered about the mailer's mental state in comparison to the shooter.

Defrees shared images of his letter with the State Journal. He said in an email he took pictures of them before handing them over to police. The letter contained copy-pasted text of the origins of the 12-month calendar, bible verses, writings about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the writer proclaiming they know cargo planes (written as "plans") will kill Americans.

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The writer made several anti-Semitic claims, said movies and songs like Austin Powers, "Adoms" Family and others predicting mass death, included several math equations and maps of the U.S., Michigan and violent acts with several countries written as owners of planes and power plants.

"It seemed more prophetic in nature rather than direct threats," Defrees wrote.

Elaine Barr, co-owner of Strange Matter, said her staff has been OK since reopening Friday and an outpouring of support has helped. She added the letter they received was dissimilar to Defrees' and had to close because of the threats contained.

She closed last Tuesday after discovering the letter.

She doesn't know what could make a person send such mail and said the letter's gibberish threats were still literate and "gave her a pause."

A message was left with a phone number associated with the Gathering Coffee Company in Detroit, which closely for a time last week.

Barr is however confused by naysayers and skeptics online who questioned the contents of the letter and its severity.

"What interest does it serve my business to have to close," Barr asked. "If it wasn't real, why wouldn't I have to close my business for three days? That's not something I can claim on insurance. We did it out of an interest of safety. Why would I do something that would cost me so much money if it wasn't real."

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Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at 517-267-1344 or knurse@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @KrystalRNurse.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: 2 more Lansing businesses receive threatening letters as FBI investigates