A jail inmate, Marc Harold Ramsey, 39, has been charged for sending a threatening letter laced with an unknown non-hazardous white powder to U.S. presidential candidate John McCain. The letter was opened by a campaign staffer when it arrived at the senator's suburban Denver campaign office on Thursday. The powder and semi-illiterate threat created an immediate scare which prompted the evacuation of the premises and preventive hospitalization of some of McCain's staff.

However, it was quickly determined that the powder did not contain any dangerous components, but it is still being analyzed to determine where the inmate got it from. The message inside read

IFF you are reading this than you are already dead! (Reuters)

Senator McCain, If you are reading this then you are already DEAD! Unless of course you can't or don't breathe (CNN)

The U.S. Secret Service immediately traced the letter back to its sender, as the return address included his name, inmate number and location of the jail where he is currently being held. It appears that the individual had previously sent such hoax threats to other people as well. At the time of the attack, McCain was taking the day off from the campaign, relaxing at his home in Sedona, Arizona.

The attacker, Marc Harold Ramsey, has been held in the Arapahoe County jail since September 17, 2007, on charges of felony menacing, 2nd degree assault, contempt of court and being a fugitive from justice with a total bond of $352,750. He now faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for mailing a threatening communication. It appears that Ramsey is angry at the government because his father was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, where he served during the same time as McCain.