Nashville Man Indicted For Mailing Threats To Employee At Covington Area Factory

Memphis, TN – Daniel Puckett, 58, of Nashville, TN, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Memphis on one count of sending threatening interstate communications via the U.S. Postal Service, announced U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III.

According to the facts of the indictment, on August 9, 2013, Puckett knowingly and willfully mailed an envelope addressed to an employee of Unilever, 2000 U.S. Highway 51, Covington, TN 38019. The letter was mailed from the State of Kentucky. Inside the envelope was a publication of the “Torch,” “Summer 2013, Issue 208.” This publication was circulated by Thomas Robb, national director of the “Knights Party.”

The said publication contained a threat to harm and injure the named employee at Unilever and his family. Specifically, on the front of the publication was hand printed, “we have space for you and your family under a big oak tree!”

On another page of the publication, it was represented that the employee of Unilever was not a member of the “Knights,” but wanted to attend the “National Klan Congress.” If convicted on the sole count of the indictment, Puckett faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000; however, if the incident is judged to be a hate crime, federal sentencing guidelines allow the penalties to be enhanced.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Laurenzi is representing the government.

U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III established a dedicated Civil Rights Unit in February 2011 to ensure that every individual in the Western District of Tennessee enjoys the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. The Civil Rights Unit assigns dedicated prosecutors to pursue the full spectrum of federal civil rights crimes, including official misconduct, human trafficking, and hate crimes, as well as law enforcement public corruption cases.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.