Murder charges against Ray Lewis were dropped in 2000 after he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
The FBI is investigating two e-mails that allegedly threatened Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, a federal law enforcement spokesman said Saturday.
The e-mails were traced to Akron, Ohio, and agents executed a search warrant there on Wednesday, said Special Agent Robert Hawk, a spokesman for the FBI's Cleveland office.
On Saturday, The (Baltimore) Sun, citing an anonymous official with knowledge of the case, reported that the person suspected of sending the e-mail is believed to be related to one of two men killed in a fight in 2000. Lewis was charged with murder along with two other men after the fight.
Charges against Lewis were subsequently dropped and he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice charges. He was sentenced to a year of probation.
Hawk would not comment on the identity of the person who was believed to have sent the e-mails. No arrests have been made, though Hawk said authorities were focusing their investigation on a specific person.
"We'll refer to the United State's attorney's office and get a prosecutive opinion from them as to whether they want to prosecute or not," Hawk said.
The e-mails were sent to the Ray Lewis Foundation, a Baltimore-based charity organization sponsored by Lewis to help children and families in need.
"Ray is aware of the threat - as are the Ravens - and so are the proper authorities, and they are pursuing it," Ravens spokesman Kevin Byrne said.
Source: AP