Former Warren Auditor Anthony J. Natale gets one year and one day in federal prison

YOUNGSTOWN

A federal judge has sentenced former Warren Auditor Anthony J. Natale to one year and one day in federal prison in connection with his having mailed white powder to his former employer, causing a panic.

Natale drew the sentence this afternoon 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.

Judge Pearson also ordered him taken into federal custody to begin serving his prison time immediately, instead of self-reporting to prison at a later date.

She ordered that the $10,000 restitution payment he brought to the court today be applied first to the $9,834 in restitution he must make to the victim company.

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

Natale admitted mailing an envelope containing white powder to his former employer, American Business Center, 7677 South Ave., Boardman, Nov. 10, 2014, after being fired from his job there.

The powder fell out of the envelope onto an employee, causing panic that the powder might be a toxin, such as anthrax.

The incident led to an evacuation; a police, fire and Hazmat response; and a two-day closure of the business.

Lab tests found the powder to be harmless.