Ex-Warren auditor Natale heading to prison for sending powder to employer

YOUNGSTOWN

A federal judge has sentenced former Warren Auditor Anthony J. Natale to one year and one day in prison for mailing white powder to his former employer.

The powder caused a panic, but it was found to be harmless.

Natale drew the sentence Thursday from U.S. District Court Judge Benita Y. Pearson after he had pleaded guilty to the felony charge of conveying false information related to use of a weapon of mass destruction when he appeared before her in June.

As requested by Justin Seabury Gould, the assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, Judge Pearson ordered Natale taken into federal custody to begin serving his prison term immediately, instead of self-reporting to prison at a later date.

She imposed no fine but ordered that the $10,000 restitution payment Natale brought to his sentencing be applied first to the $9,834 in restitution he must make to the former employer.

The judge also imposed a civil judgment of $14,362 to be divided among various emergency responders.

Read more about the case in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.