The Barry County Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against an individual in relation to the discovery of the dangerous poison ricin found in a Hastings apartment complex.
Public court filings show a 24-year-old man named Joseph Jay Sheppard was charged with unlawful use and possession of a harmful substance in Barry County’s 56th District Court.
Officials with the Barry-Eaton health department said residents at Tyden Lofts in Hastings were evacuated Thursday, September 10 after law enforcement was notified of a potential ricin exposure in the complex. According to a statement released September 12, testing later confirmed the presence of ricin in a first-floor unit.
Ricin is found naturally in castor beans and can be lethal even in small doses. People can be exposed to ricin accidentally by improperly storing or processing castor beans, but it can also be isolated on purpose for use as a biological toxin.
A letter from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said crushed castor beans were found in a first-floor unit and confirmed to be the source of the ricin.
According to a statement released by the Barry-Eaton health department, an individual experiencing symptoms of ricin exposure was treated at Corewell Health Pennock Hospital and isolated from other patients.
WOOD-TV reported that prosecutors claim Sheppard possessed, released and transported ricin, which caused a Hastings apartment complex to be evacuated and disrupted operations at the Pennock Hospital Emergency Room.
In an email, FBI officials said the agency is still conducting its own investigation.
Sheppard is currently being held on $1 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 29.
