Package Of Chemicals Addressed To The White House: Man Arraigned In Texas Court After Arrest

A man was arraigned Thursday in a Texas court for making a false report to a police officer before he was arrested on Wednesday for being in possession of a package of chemicals addressed to the White House, authorities announced Thursday.

Daniel Eugene Sands was arrested early Wednesday morning after police were notified by several 911 phone calls and tipped off about what was described as a suspicious car that had been sitting in a Bell County parking lot. When police arrived on the scene, they found Sands sitting inside the car. Sands ultimately gave police consent to search his car, where they found a box in the trunk with “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue” written on it, KDH News reported.

Sands, 27, told Killeen police that he bought the “wrong chemicals” from a local Family Dollar Store, so he decided that he would send what he had to the White House, according to the arrest affidavit. He immediately was taken into custody before police were assisted by hazmat and a bomb squad from Fort Hood, a nearby military base. Other emergency units, including the Killeen Fire Department, joined law enforcement on the scene as a precautionary measure.

A robot helped move the package from the car before officials were able to determine that there was no threat of an explosive device, according to KCEN TV. It is unclear what type of chemicals were in the package.

According to Tina Amerson of the Killeen Police Department, the case remains under active investigation. Sands, who was remanded to the Bell County Jail, had his bail set at $3,000.

There was an unrelated active bomb investigation earlier this month at the White House before two Secret Service agents who allegedly were under the influence of alcohol drove through the scene and next to a suspicious package, compromising the investigation.