Sebring Anthrax Scare Was April Fool's Prank

By Shoshana Walter
THE LEDGER

Published: Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 12:58 a.m.

A Sebring man planted 79 envelopes of white powder Thursday as an April Fool's prank, he told authorities Friday, according to a Highlands County Sheriff's report.

Jerron Mario Moffitt, 20, of 3901 Ponce De Leon Blvd., even placed an envelope in his own mailbox Thursday to trick his father, the report said.

Moffitt was being held in the Highlands County Jail on $790,000 bail and is charged with 79 counts of possessing a hoax weapon of mass destruction. He also is charged with violating probation in burglary and grand theft cases.

Authorities say Moffitt put white envelopes on 48 cars parked in the Florida Hospital Sebring parking lot and in 31 ­mailboxes on various local streets. A smiley face was hand drawn on the outside of each envelope, and each contained a note on a folded piece of paper that read, 'define anthrax.' Inside the fold was a white powder.

Deputies knew to be on the lookout for a white Ford Focus, which several residents had seen pull up to their mailboxes during the early morning hours. An image of that vehicle was found on a video surveillance tape of a Wal-Mart parking lot.

Deputies got their break in the case when surveillance video from inside the store showed Moffitt purchasing a box of 80 efficiency security envelopes and a nine-ounce bottle of Johnson & Johnson baby powder.

When investigators revealed the evidence to Moffitt, he confessed, the report said.

Moffitt told deputies that he is not a terrorist. He said he was aware of the dangers of anthrax and said, 'Anthrax is a bacteria and is put in powder,' according to the report.

The Sheriff's Office said Saturday they had identified a second suspect in the crime, but have not made an arrest.

[ Shoshana Walter can be reached at shoshana.walter@theledger.com or 863-802-7590. ]

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