Man indicted on ricin, firearm charges
A 57-year-old man found in possession of the deadly toxin ricin was indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on charges of possessing the biological chemical, possession of unregistered firearms and possession of firearms not identified with a serial number.
Roger Von Bergendorff made his first appearance in federal court last week but did not enter a plea. He was arrested the same day he was released from the hospital after a nine-week stay.
Bergendorff was rushed from his room at Extended Stay America to the hospital on Feb. 14 after complaining of having difficulty breathing. He fell into a coma and did not wake up until early March, when he was interviewed by FBI agents.
Nearly two weeks after Bergendorff was admitted into the hospital, employees of the motel, at 4270 S. Valley View Blvd., entered his room. They alerted Las Vegas police after discovering two weapons, a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol and a .22-caliber Ruger rifle with an attached silencer.
During a search, a vial and beaker containing 4 grams of ricin was discovered. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Damm said Bergendorff possessed enough of the substance to kill 522 people.
Investigators also found a drawing of an "injection device disguised as a pen" in a Utah storage space rented by Bergendorff.
Federal authorities said they do not think Bergendorff is a terrorist or that he was working with other individuals.
Whether Bergendorff's hospital stay was because of exposure to the deadly toxin remained unclear. Federal defense attorney Paul Riddle said last week that Bergendorff suffered from heart failure and that his condition worsened when he contracted pneumonia and his kidney failed.
During Bergendorff's initial appearance in court last week, Riddle argued that Bergendorff is not a threat to the community and only had "fantasies" of committing crimes. FBI agents said Bergendorff admitted that some people had made him angry and that he had passing thoughts of injuring them.
U.S. District Judge Peggy Leen refused to release Bergendorff into a halfway house and said she thought he was a danger to others.
Bergendorff is scheduled to be arraigned and enter a plea May 2.
