Letter called threat to Reid

Kim Smith

Friday, Jan. 4, 2002 | 9:01 a.m.

A Las Vegas man has been jailed without bail in an alleged mail threat against four members of Congress, including Nevada Sen. Harry Reid.

Milton Thomas Black was arrested without incident Wednesday evening on the federal charge of transmitting threatening interstate communications, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison, said Natalie Collins, a public information officer for the U.S. attorney's office.

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court Thursday, Black sent a letter addressed to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., in which he complained about being ignored by other government officials.

In the complaint, FBI Agent Lee A. Zechter quoted Black as writing, "I'm coming to Wash. D.C., get a gun + ammo, + start paying you crooked bastards back."

Officials with the Capital Police gave the letter to Metro Police in September, but because of the acts of terrorism that took place Sept. 11, they were unable to investigate promptly.

The investigation was re-opened, however, when Colorado Gov. Bill Owens received a copy of a threatening letter sent to Reid on Dec. 21.

In that letter, Black allegedly complained that no one would pay attention to information he had developed in the JonBenet Ramsey homicide investigation.

Black reportedly ended the letter by threatening to douse Reid with gasoline, just like Clint Eastwood's character did in the movie "High Plains Drifter."

Each of the letters were signed by a "Sergeant Black," investigators said, and one of the letters had a return address for an M.T. Black at the Campaige Place Apartment Complex, 211 N. Eighth St.

A Metro detective confirmed on Christmas Eve that a Milton Thomas Black had lived at the address and notified the Capitol Police.

Further investigation revealed that Black had told the apartment complex manager he was moving out because he had information about a high-profile murder case involving a young white girl in Colorado.

According to the complaint, Capitol Police obtained Black's armed forces identification card and his Nevada ID and confirmed he had once lived at the Eighth Street apartment.

The handwriting on the identification cards and on the letters also appear to match, the complaint states.

Collins said Black was arrested at a Las Vegas hotel.

Black appeared before U.S. Magistrate Robert Johnston Thursday afternoon and was assigned a federal public defender.

Collins said Johnston ordered Black held without bail after deeming him a danger to the community.

It is not the first time Reid has attracted such negative attention.

In August 1998 District Judge Joseph Bonaventure sentenced Michael McCusker to two to five years after a jury found him guilty of stalking Reid and then-Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev.

McCusker had gone to the two politicians for help in recovering $23,000 he said he had lost in a Mexican land scam, but neither could help. McCusker apparently became obsessed with retribution and began leaving threatening voice mail messages and notes for Reid and Ensign. He also shot himself in the chest in front of Reid's office.

McCusker's behavior prompted Reid to move his offices into the federal courthouse where there are armed U.S. marshals.