Anti-abortion extremist Clayton Lee Waagner was indicted yesterday on six counts of firearms and stolen vehicle charges. He could receive 15 years to life for each count against him. Waagner may also face charges for allegedly sending over 500 anthrax threat letters to abortion providers and reproductive rights advocacy organizations in 2001. In addition, the former fugitive is expected to receive his sentencing next month for escaping DeWitt Country jail in Illinois on February 22, 2001 where he was originally awaiting sentencing on federal weapons and stolen vehicle convictions.
Formerly on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list, Waagner eluded law enforcement for eight months before being apprehended by U.S. Marshals at a copy shop in Ohio. While a fugitive, Waagner allegedly robbed a number of banks to fund anti-abortion activities, which possibly included sending the anthrax threat letters, signed by the “Army of God.” Waagner also allegedly conducted surveillance on 42 abortion providers whom he intended to kill and later confessed that he had planned a series of bomb threats to reach abortion providers simultaneously nationwide in an effort to shut down all women’s reproductive health clinics.
