Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press - Friday, November 3, 2000
Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton's name and City Hall address appear as the sender on the envelopes, but it is unclear who sent them or why.
About two dozen people sent their letters to her or called for an explanation.
Belton turned the letters over to federal investigators.
"This is really a vicious kind of mail fraud," said Ann Freeman, a spokeswoman for the mayor.
The letters refer to recipients as patients with HIV and tell them to contact the news media.
The envelopes had Florida postmarks and also show return addresses on the back for a Target store in Coral Springs, Fla., and Target Corp. headquarters in Minneapolis. A Target spokeswoman said the company wasn't involved and is investigating.
Postal inspector Mike Schaubschlager said Friday that extortion, mail fraud or any other federal offenses have been ruled out. He characterized the incident as harassment.
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