Jason Kale ClampitJason Kale Clampit, 44, of Winslow was sentenced to 96 months in prison without parole last Frifday for possessing a biological agent. Judge Timothy L. Brooks oversaw the hearing in Fayetteville’s U.S. District Court.
In January 2024, an anonymous tip to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office claimed Clampit was making ricin and may have poisoned a family member.
Investigators found he produced ricin at his home to trap trespassers but accidentally exposed himself, becoming severely ill.
On January 24, 2025, authorities—--including the Bentonville Bomb Squad and FBI bioweapon specialists--searched his property, seizing ricin-related items. Clampit was arrested that day.
From jail, he instructed someone over a monitored call to dispose of a jar of liquid ricin hidden in a camper. FBI agents recovered the jar from a trash can, confirming it contained processed ricin.
Clampit was indicted in March 2024 and pleaded guilty in October.
U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes announced the sentence. The FBI, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Bentonville Police, and Arkansas probation officials investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted.
