PRote
National Enforcement Investigations Center
Case Results - Ryan Chamberlain
Domestic Terrorism Case Support
Analytical and Toxicology Capabilities
Background: Ryan Chamberlain, a media and political consultant, was the target of a
nationwide manhunt in 2014 after FBI agents, investigating illicit online transactions
on the "dark web," found bomb-making materials, incendiary equipment, ricin, abrin,
and cyanide in his apartment.
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NEIC's Support:
•	Forensics-based iaboratory
analyses accredited under
I SO/I EC: 17025, General
Requirements for the
Competence of Testing and
Calibration Laboratories
•	Method development for non-
standard analysis
•	Interpretation of analytical
results
•	Analytical consultations
•	Toxicological expertise
-	Consultations
-	Assessments
-	Provide expert reports
and testimony
•	Experience providing
environmental forensic
support to the Federal Bureau
of investigations (FBI)
NEIC's Other Capabilities:
•	Forensics-based field
sampling and measurements
accredited under ISO/IEC
17025
•	Field inspections and
investigations
•	Statistical services
•	CAA. 112r CWA, EPCRA.
RCRA, SDWA expertise
•	Training
Enforcement results: NEIC's laboratory and litigation support aided the FBI and the
Department of Justice with the successful prosecution of this case. As a result, Ryan Chamberlain plead guilty to two
counts including possession of a biological agent or toxin and was sentenced to 30 months in prison and 12 years of
probation in April 2016.
How to obtain NEIC's support
NEIC provides environmental forensics support for criminal and civil enforcement cases. If you would like more
information on NEIC or to request laboratory analysis, toxicological support, an investigation, technical assistance, or
training from NEIC, please contact us at neic project requests(5)epa.gov. You may also contact your regional
enforcement coordinator for more information on requesting NEIC's support on civil projects and EPA's Criminal
Investigation Division (CID) for support on criminal projects.
Ryan Chamberlain
NEIC's support: In January 2016, NEIC was asked by the FBI to provide expedited
analytical support to address claims made by the defendant in the Chamberlain
domestic terrorism case. Chamberlain's defense attorney argued that the amounts
of toxins found in his apartment were non-lethal and that the toxicity information
based on animal studies was not applicable to humans.
NEIC developed an analytical method to quantify the percent of cyanide in liquid and
solid samples and provided an analytical report to the FBI five days following the
receipt of samples. Expertise from NEIC's toxicologist was also requested by the FBI
to interpret the toxicity of the samples.
NEIC's chemist and toxicologist involved in this case were called upon to testify in a
Daubert hearing to evaluate the admissibility of scientific and expert testimony
requested by the defense. NEIC's chemist provided testimony concerning the
cyanide analysis and the analytical results. NEIC's toxicologist testified that animal
toxicity studies were relevant for ricin and abrin and the amount of toxin possessed
by Mr. Chamberlain was lethal to humans.
NEIC | Denver Federal Center, Building 25 | Denver, Colorado | 303.462.9000

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