OSP questions, releases Eugene man who sent suspicious letters

A 34-year-old Eugene man questioned by Oregon State Police as a “person of interest” in suspicious letters mailed to two-dozen Oregon county sheriff’s offices has been released after authorities determined the letters were not dangerous and he did not appear to be violent or dangerous.

Hazardous material teams responded to the county sheriff’s offices that received the letters Monday, as did investigators from several police agencies, OSP Lt. Bill Fugate said Wednesday. Preliminary testing by the haz-mat teams could not detect any harmful substances.

On Tuesday, Fugate said, investigators identified Lance Storm of Eugene as a person of interest, and he was found and interviews.

“Storm was very forthcoming and eager to discuss the letters he mailed,” Fugate said Wednesday in a news release, adding that “Storm told investigators the communications were not intended to cause alarm, and he denied the inclusion of harmful substances.”

“Storm did not appear to present any violent or dangerous behavior and was not perceived as a threat to the community,” the OSP lieutenant said. “He was released and the reports containing detailed information obtained during the investigation involving will be forwarded to several district attorney offices for consideration of charges.”

The list of counties where letters are known to be received were Grant, Harney, Umatilla, Klamath, Lake, Grant, Jackson, Wasco, Marion, Polk, Lane, Sherman, Tillamook, Gilliam, Columbia, Linn, Jefferson, Wheeler, Union, Douglas, Baker, Yamhill, Wallowa and Coos.

OSP was assisted by the FBI, US Postal Service, The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, and law enforcement agencies from counties where the letters were received.