SPIRO, OK - Postal inspectors along with other federal, state, and law enforcement officials served a search warrant at a Spiro, Oklahoma home shortly before nine this morning.
U.s. postal inspector Amanda McMurray told 5NEWS that the search warrant and affidavit have been sealed by a federal judge. Typically that occurs if further investigation is necessary.
Here's what we do know from having a crew on the scene: the raid happened at a home on U.S. Highway 271 in Spiro, about a half hour southwest of Fort Smith. At least one man was handcuffed and taken into custody. However, his name has not been released. The closest neighbor is a business next door. An employee at that pawn shop told us he did not know what had taken place, aside from unsubstantiated rumors.
At one point, agents had members of the media back up across the street because they said the bomb squad had not yet secured the scene. They gave no indication what they were dealing with. No one on the scene was authorized to speak with reporters.
Agents searched the house and property including an outbuilding. Investigators came and went in unmarked cars throughout the morning Monday.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has jurisdiction over any effort to "attack our nation's postal system and misuse it to defraud, endanger or otherwise threaten the American public" according to its website. They investigate everything from assaults of postal employees to bombs, burglary, child exploitation, drugs, and identity fraud along with a long list of other crimes. At least four law enforcement agencies were visible on the scene; the U.S. Postal Service, the FBI, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Leflore County Sheriff's Department.
We tried to contact the U.S. attorney's office for the eastern district of Oklahoma, but it was closed for the Columbus Day holiday.
U.s. postal inspector Amanda McMurray told 5NEWS that the search warrant and affidavit have been sealed by a federal judge. Typically that occurs if further investigation is necessary.
Here's what we do know from having a crew on the scene: the raid happened at a home on U.S. Highway 271 in Spiro, about a half hour southwest of Fort Smith. At least one man was handcuffed and taken into custody. However, his name has not been released. The closest neighbor is a business next door. An employee at that pawn shop told us he did not know what had taken place, aside from unsubstantiated rumors.
At one point, agents had members of the media back up across the street because they said the bomb squad had not yet secured the scene. They gave no indication what they were dealing with. No one on the scene was authorized to speak with reporters.
Agents searched the house and property including an outbuilding. Investigators came and went in unmarked cars throughout the morning Monday.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has jurisdiction over any effort to "attack our nation's postal system and misuse it to defraud, endanger or otherwise threaten the American public" according to its website. They investigate everything from assaults of postal employees to bombs, burglary, child exploitation, drugs, and identity fraud along with a long list of other crimes. At least four law enforcement agencies were visible on the scene; the U.S. Postal Service, the FBI, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Leflore County Sheriff's Department.
We tried to contact the U.S. attorney's office for the eastern district of Oklahoma, but it was closed for the Columbus Day holiday.
