FBI involved with cheerleader threat investigation at Ohio State University
The FBI is investigating threatening letters targeting college cheerleaders around the country.
Ohio State University cheerleaders are among those receiving the unusual threats.
The letters began three years ago, but are just being made public.
In 2004 a batch of letters was sent to national television networks as well as athletic departments in Ohio, Michigan, and Arizona.
"I'm not sure if I know why we were involved - we do have a high profile squad that's on TV from time to time," says Ohio State's Steve Sapp.
Some letters were laced with a potentially harmful insecticide.
More:
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=66592See also:
FBI looking at cheerleader threat letter sent to Ohio newspaper
Thursday, April 26, 2007 4:17 AM CDT
FBI looking at cheerleader threat letter sent to Ohio newspaper
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) --- A letter mailed to The Columbus Dispatch is among those being reviewed as part of an FBI investigation into a series of threatening letters that complain ESPN and ABC crews have exploited cheerleaders, WNBA players and WTA Tour players,
the newspaper reported Thursday.<snip>
The FBI declined to identify the kind of insecticide contained in some of the letters but said there were no reports of injuries.
Ohio State police chief Paul Denton said cheerleaders, coaches and athletic department officials were alerted after
letters arrived at the university more than a year ago. The university also forwarded information to the FBI, he said.
University officials did not issue a campus-wide alert.
"We didn't deem it a specific or credible threat," Denton said. "It sounds like it would be directed at folks who are in the media."
More:
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/04/26/news/breaking_news/doc46306b961912b045071582.txtSee also:
Lorain resident, ex-cheerleader at Ohio State, part of exploitation threat
COLUMBUS -- Pictures of Mallory Donaldson, a former cheerleader at Ohio State, were included in letters sent last year to the school's athletic department and grocery stores, according to her mother, Lorain school board President Jeanine Donaldson.
This week it was revealed that the FBI is investigating letters sent to The Columbus Dispatch and national networks complaining that ESPN and ABC crews have exploited cheerleaders, WNBA players and WTA Tour players.
Jeanine Donaldson, who learned back in November that the letters and pictures of the cheerleaders were being circulated, said she never saw them and does not know exactly what was in them. Her knowledge of the situation comes from her understandings of what OSU's cheerleading adviser told the cheerleaders.
''I was real concerned because being a president of a school board, anytime we get anything like this, we take it seriously,'' she said of her reaction in November.
More:
http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18274977&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6Local and Wire reports
04/28/2007
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