(KRON) — An Oakland man who labored instead instructor is accused of sending racially charged letters threatening workers and college students at an East Bay elementary college, based on the Division of Justice.
Lester Dale Lee, 69, made his preliminary look in federal court docket on Friday in connection to a number of mailings despatched in Might 2023 to a instructor and principal of Dayton Elementary Faculty in San Leandro.
In a felony grievance, an FBI particular agent stated Lee used racial slurs within the letters to explain three Black college students and threatened to shoot the instructor and the scholars in the event that they weren’t faraway from the classroom. Lee allegedly posed authorship because the mum or dad of one other scholar.
The primary threatening letter was delivered by way of USPS to the instructor on Might 3, 2023. Faculty officers reported the letter to police, based on the grievance.
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On Might 18, 2023, a second envelope addressed to the varsity’s principal was obtained and contained an unidentified white powder. In line with the FBI agent, the envelope matched the primary in coloration and measurement, used the identical typewritten handle label, and had the identical Oakland postmark and 2019 “forever” stamp.
At some point later, a 3rd envelope just like the primary two was obtained. The content material of the typewritten letter, addressed as soon as once more to the instructor, was related in racially charged threats to the primary letter obtained. Nonetheless, an 11-year-old scholar was talked about by identify, the particular agent stated.
Resulting from a selected baby being named within the menace, “the school opted to inform the teachers, staff, and parents that the school had received a series of racially motivated threat letters specifically targeting members of the African American community,” the affidavit stated. After the disclosure to folks, there was a spike in absenteeism on the college, which officers attributed to security issues.
Dad and mom of at the least one baby opted to house college for the rest of the 12 months, based on the grievance.
Two extra letters, addressed to the director of elementary training on the San Lorenzo Unified Faculty District, had been obtained in June 2023. The letters blamed the principal for “dangerous” and “hostile” circumstances at Dayton Elementary and referred to 3 college students as “little thugs.” The fifth letter was signed “Mr. L / A concerned worker at Dayton Elementary School,” the grievance stated.
Prosecutors stated Lee labored by means of a staffing company instead instructor from 2022 to 2023 at quite a lot of colleges within the district, together with Dayton Elementary. He was fired in April 2023, based on the grievance, after allegedly making contact with one scholar along with his cane and calling others “dumb.” Two concerned college students had been in the identical class because the instructor who obtained threatening letters.
In an interview with the FBI on April 27, 2024, brokers requested Lee about instructing within the East Bay. In line with the affidavit, Lee “described, at length, his feelings regarding the problems at public schools and how they relate to Black students.”
When requested whether or not as a Black man he discovered it simpler to show courses comprised of Black college students, Lee allegedly instructed brokers that generally it helped however different instances “they accuse me of being white.” Lee stated that within the college students’ eyes he doesn’t “act Black” or “talk Black,” based on the affidavit.
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Lee is charged with federal crimes of mailing threats and intent to convey false data and hoaxes. He’s anticipated again in federal court docket on March 28.
