A North Texas man who once told police the federal government was "beaming radar" into him was arrested Monday after federal prosecutors say he sent hundreds of envelopes containing white powder to schools, U.S. embassies and businesses over the years.
Hong Minh Truong, 66, of Rowlett, was arrested Monday by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Truong is charged in a federal criminal complaint with false information and hoaxes, and a U.S. magistrate ordered Monday afternoon that he remain in federal custody.
He is suspected of mailing more than 500 hoax letters from North Texas to cities across the U.S., including to preschools and elementary schools, and to U.S. embassies around the world, beginning in December 2008, the United States Attorney's office said.
The letters were also mailed to numerous hotels and prominent business offices in the New York area in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII in northern New Jersey, NBC News has learned.
Investigators said the language used in the letters as well as the method of sending the letters led them to believe one person was responsible for sending them all.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
One such letter, allegedly sent from North Texas in May 2012, included the following statement:
"Al Qaeda back! Special thing for you
What the hell where are you Scooby Doo, Counter Intelligence, CIA, you do not know how to catch the triple dealer spy in your law enforcement. What the hell where are you Scooby Doo, Internal Affairs, FBI, you don't know how to arrest the bad cop in your law enforcement.
You all flaming idiot, ignorant and arrogant, know nothing! How to protect this country! U.S.A
We are Al Qaeda, U.B.L FBI, Al Qaeda, SS Nazi FBI, working in your agency. We claim everything."
In 2002, Truong told Dallas police he heard "voices" that the federal government was "beaming radar into his body," according to the complaint against him.
Federal prosecutors have 30 days to present the case to a grand jury for possible indictment.
Neighbors Shocked to Learn of Alleged Acts
Peggy Bratton, who lives nearby, said Truong was quiet and mostly kept to himself.
"He's just a real quiet man," Bratton said. "He always waves. He works out in his yard."
Bratton was shocked to learn investigators believe Truong was writing hoax letters from his Rowlett home.
"That's scary!" Bratton said. "You know, I know that it wasn't real, but still, to do something like that to people and scare people like that, you know, that's crazy."
NBC 5's Johnny Archer and Jocelyn Lockwood contributed to this report.
