SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, Dec. 19, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Salt Lake County woman has been arrested for allegedly having a biological weapon of mass destruction.
A probable cause statement from the 3rd District Court of Salt Lake County said Janie Lynn Ridd, 50, was arrested Wednesday and is facing a charge of possession, use of weapon of mass destruction, a first-degree felony.
“Through an investigation, officers learned a subject later identified as Janie Lynn Ridd purchased a weapon of mass destruction as defined in 76-10-401, a biological agent online,” the statement said. “Subsequent investigation found Ridd’s statements to be misleading and it was learned Ridd did not provide evidence to show she has lawful authority or use to possess a biological agent.”
Ridd was transported to the Salt Lake County Jail with her bail set at $20,000.
No further details of the incident were given.
The probable cause statement was attributed to an officer with the Utah State Bureau of Investigations.
Ridd is also potentially facing federal charges.
Utah Code said a “biological agent” means any “microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product that may be engineered as a result of biotechnology, or any naturally occurring or bioengineered component of any microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product, that is capable of causing death, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a plant, or another living organism.”
“Weapon of mass destruction” means any “item or instrumentality that is designed or intended to cause widespread death or serious bodily injury to multiple victims,” according to Utah Code.
