A north suburban woman was charged Thursday with sending a “granular substance” to the Illinois State Tollway Authority in an envelope addressed to the “Illinois Tollway B-----s,” according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Cassandra Shepard, 28, of the 1400 block of Howard Street in Evanston, was charged with felony disorderly conduct and false bomb or deadly substance threat. She was ordered held in lieu of $5,000.
After receiving the letter, Illinois State Tollway Authority employees noticed a “granular substance” in the envelope and alerted authorities, the state’s attorney’s office said in a news release. The FBI, the Illinois State Police, Downers Grove Fire Department and Naperville Fire Department Specialized Hazmat Unit all responded to the facility and determined the substance was not hazardous and did not pose “an immediate threat to employees,” the news release said.
The release did not specify what the substance was. Calls and emails to the state's attorney's office were not immediately returned.
Shepard was taken into custody Thursday without incident in relation to the alleged envelope, prosecutors said.
“Regardless of what was in the envelope or what Ms. Shepard’s intentions were when she allegedly mailed it, government employees have the right to feel safe at work and any threats to that safety will be taken very seriously,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
Shepard is due back in court on Oct. 6.
