Student Arrested for Possession of Ricin

Georgetown University student Daniel Milzman, 19, was arrested March 21 for possession of ricin, a highly toxic and sometimes fatal biological substance, which was found by police in his dormitory room at the university’s main campus. No one was harmed.

“If convicted of possession of a biological toxin, he could face up to 10 years in prison,” reported the student newspaper, the Hoya. Other excerpts: “… Tests at two labs, one run by the D.C. government and the other by the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed the substance was ricin. … In total, Milzman had 123 milligrams of the substance in his possession; within that, the concentration of toxin was 7.7 micrograms per milligram. According to the affidavit, a lethal dose of ricin is approximately three to five micrograms if the substance is inhaled or injected and 20 milligrams per kilogram if ingested. … The affidavit paints a picture of Milzman working alone in his room, wearing goggles and a dust mask, both of which were later seized by the FBI. Milzman produced the ricin a month ago and stored it in his room in plastic bags.”

While some have speculated that Milzman might have wanted to harm another student, the FBI says it has no such information on motives. Milzman’s father works for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and his brother also attends Georgetown.