'White Powder' Suspect Attended Narcotics Anonymous At Targeted Synagogue
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Police have found some bizarre evidence linked to a man suspected of sending threatening letters to two Jewish organizations in Boulder.
Jeffrey Klinkel, 32, was arrested on last Thursday. Police said forensic evidence led them to Klinkel. He's accused of sending threatening letters with white powder to the Congregation Har HaShem synagogue and the Jewish Community Center. The powder turned out to be harmless.
According to court documents, Klinkel had visited Congregation Har HaShem because he attended Narcotics Anonymous classes there. The day the incidents happened there was a return address on the letter sent to the Jewish Community Center. According to the court documents, the address was for another building on Congregation Har HaShem's property.
One day after the incidents a Colorado Bureau of Investigation lab result confirmed one fingerprint on each letter belonged to Klinkel.
"To be able to be in a situation where law enforcement in fairly quick order were able to work together to find a suspect is really very heartening," Scott Levin with the Anti-Defamation League said. "It sends out a great message to everyone that our community can be safer."
When detectives visited Klinkel's parents' home in Boulder County they told detectives he had occasionally been living there. Police found books on religions and others on conspiracy theories.
The Anti-Defamation League shared with CBS4 posts from Facebook by someone with the same name -- Jeff Klinkel.
"Postings he's made as they relate even to articles from CBS4 that would indicate that he has some ties to anti-government beliefs," Levin said. "Those people that have anti-government beliefs often have conspiracy beliefs, and those conspiracy beliefs can turn into anti-Semitism."
Klinkel is now charged with two counts each of felony menacing and biological hoax.
"I do believe that law enforcement will look closely at this matter to determine if it is appropriate to charge this as a hate crime," Levin said.
On Monday the Jewish Community Center sent CBS4 a statement that said, "We are incredibly grateful for the diligent and expeditious efforts of law enforcement and for all of their work during the incidents as well as their ongoing support."
