Scientist with suspicious item at airport did prison time for smuggling plague into U.S.

September 3, 2010 by legitgov

Scientist with suspicious item at airport did prison time for smuggling plague into U.S. 03 Sep 2010 A world-renowned Texas scientist specializing in infectious diseases who was once charged with smuggling dangerous samples of plague bacteria into the U.S. was questioned by authorities after a suspicious item found in his luggage caused a massive evacuation at Miami International Airport Thursday night. Dr. Thomas C. Butler was questioned by agents with the FBI and Miami-Dade police Friday after a suspicious item was found in his checked luggage by a MIA baggage screener Thursday night, sources told NBC Miami.