Ohio man accused of producing ricin at home convicted of having the toxin, lying to FBI

CLEVELAND – A northeast Ohio man accused of producing ricin to harm his stepfather and emergency responders has been convicted.

Federal prosecutors in Cleveland say a jury convicted 58-year-old Jeff Boyd Levenderis of having ricin, having it for use as a weapon and lying to FBI agents when he denied making the deadly toxin.

Prosecutors say Levenderis produced ricin at his Akron home and kept it in a freezer until FBI agents recovered it in January 2011.

They say evidence showed Levenderis planned to use ricin against his stepfather. They say he also planned an elaborate suicide in which he would set a house fire and use ricin against emergency responders.

Levenderis will be sentenced later. A call to his attorney wasn't immediately returned Thursday.