Ricin maker sentenced

By ADRIENNE PACKER

Roger Bergendorff said he did everything he could to clean up his life.

In 1985, he was an alcoholic dependent on painkillers and ingested 650 milligrams of Xanax every day. Four years later, on Aug. 8, 1989, he quit everything cold turkey.

His life significantly improved, the gray-haired pasty man with baggy eyes told a federal judge Monday. The graphic artist was in top shape, owned a beautiful home and spent time with his beloved pets and his girlfriend, "the love of my life."

But emotional demons ate at his insides. His father passed away, his girlfriend left him, and both his dog and cat died.

His troubled past led to a 42-month prison sentence after the 57-year-old was arrested for possession of a biological toxin and two unregistered firearms and silencers earlier this year.

"I was grief-stricken," Bergendorff said as he tearfully recounted the path that led him to the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Robert Jones.

Bergendorff said he tried to continue with Alcoholics Anonymous in the late 1990s, but the outfit was strongly based on religion, and he was quickly losing faith in God.

"It seemed God had it out for me; it felt that way," Bergendorff said.

Determined to never hurt again, Bergendorff said he learned how to make ricin, a poison capable of killing a person with an amount so small it could balance on the head of a pin. Manufacturing the substance empowered him. It protected him, he said.

"It was a harmless outlet for my anger; it was a protective shield for my hurt," Bergendorff said at his sentencing hearing. "I had no target. I know it sounds crazy."

In January, Bergendorff's older brother, who was his best friend, died of Lou Gehrig's disease. It nearly sent him over the edge, he said.

On Feb. 14, Bergendorff had rented a room at the Extended Stay America when he began to suffer from respiratory problems and called for emergency assistance. He was rushed to the hospital and soon after fell into a coma, the second one in his lifetime.

Two weeks later, motel management members entered Bergendorff's room to remove his belongings. They found a vial and a beaker of what later was confirmed to be ricin. It was enough to kill more than 500 people, prosecutors said. The weapons and silencers also were discovered.

On April 16, Bergendorff was discharged from the hospital and arrested.

While he was hospitalized, his cats that he kept in the motel were placed with animal control, and his German shepherd, who he called his "loyal and faithful companion of 15 years," was destroyed because of an illness.

"The only loved one I have left is my younger brother," Bergendorff said.

In August, Bergendorff's attorney, Paul Riddle, worked out a plea agreement with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Damm, both agreeing that Bergendorff would serve between 37 months and 46 months in prison. Riddle told the judge that Bergendorff had cooperated fully with authorities, who initially thought he might be a terrorist.

Damm told Jones on Monday that he was fine with a 37-month sentence because of the help Bergendorff provided the government.

"On balance, there is a series of conduct engaged in by Mr. Bergendorff that has certain consequences associated with it," Damm said. "On the other side, Mr. Bergendorff has done everything I know of that he could to assist this investigation."

Bergendorff assured Jones that the illness that led to his hospital stay was not caused by ricin exposure.

Bergendorff apologized to the hotel workers who discovered the substance and had to be quarantined. He apologized to the community.

But Jones said the severity of his crimes called for a more significant sentence than that agreed upon by the attorneys.

"You do need a substantial sentence," Jones said. "It's obviously the only way to capture your attention."

With the sentence, Bergendorff will have three years of supervised release and must pay a $7,500 fine.

Despite his hurt, waning faith and his pending prison time, Bergendorff said he still has a mission and a dream. His mission is to help his younger brother avoid the mistakes he has made.

His dream?

"To have three German shepherds, five cats and a woman to love," he said.

Contact reporter Adrienne Packer at apacker @reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.