The FBI arrested an Oklahoma man early Monday for mailing hundreds of letters with suspicious white powder to public officials nationwide. Robin Martin is accused of mailing over 700 hoax letters to election offices and government figures. The powders turned out to be flour or yeast, but the fear was real. Federal authorities say the letters were sent in two waves before the 2024 and 2026 elections.
Investigators linked Martin to a massive campaign of fear targeting more than 100 locations.
Per Fox News, the letters went to Secretary of State offices and related election centers nationwide. The FBI’s Oklahoma City field office led the probe alongside the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and local police. Martin faces charges for conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications. He is expected to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon in Oklahoma City.
The letters were designed to cause panic, echoing the anthrax scares of the early 2000s.
According to The Washington Examiner, the return address showed “U.S.T.E.A., United States Traitor Elimination Army, Takoma Park, MD.” The envelopes carried hostile declarations, including warnings of arrests for treason. Many of the 2024 letters even declared war on the recipients. Although politicians served as primary targets, Martin mailed pollsters, news media outlets, and federal law enforcement agencies as well.
Officials verified the recipients spanned both parties, striking Republican and Democratic offices without any discernible pattern.
Per Associated Press, federal officials announced last month they were investigating letters with “suspicious substances” mailed to congressional and election offices. They urged anyone who received the mail to treat it as “potentially hazardous.” A message from the Senate Sergeant at Arms stated that while officials worked to stop the mail, “it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations.”
Though not every letter has been tested, those that were found to contain harmless yeast or flour.
According to a court filing made public Tuesday, the FBI confirmed the nonhazardous nature of the powders. At this time, online records fail to list an attorney to speak for Martin. The Justice Department moved quickly to charge him after the initial wave of mailings caused widespread alarm. The investigation spanned multiple states and involved a joint effort by federal and local agencies.
The sheer number of mailings—more than 700—shows a coordinated attempt to disrupt the election process. Martin’s actions created a security nightmare for offices that had to shut down and test every piece of mail.
