Oklahoma man charged over 700 mystery letter mailings

Robin Martin, an Oklahoma resident, was arrested on Monday and charged with conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications. Federal authorities accuse him of sending hundreds of letters containing white powder to public officials ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections.

An FBI court filing released Tuesday stated that the white substance in the envelopes was yeast or flour. However, the agency noted that not all letters have been fully tested to confirm this finding.

Investigators believe more than 700 mailings were associated with the same sender. FBI agent David Cole wrote in an affidavit that the envelopes were addressed to election officials, members of Congress, pollsters, news media, and federal law enforcement.

The investigation began in 2024 after election officials in every state reported receiving mail with a white substance. The packages often included a three-page letter declaring war. Last month, federal authorities announced they were investigating the letters and urged recipients to treat the mailings as potentially hazardous.

The mailings caused election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma to evacuate in October. Numerous states, including Idaho and Florida, reported that their election offices either received the letters or had them intercepted by the Postal Service.

Martin used the return address U.S.T.E.A., United States Traitor Elimination Army, Takoma Park, MD. A common message in the mailings warned recipients of upcoming arrests for treason or worse. Martin was expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, with no attorney listed in online records to comment on his behalf.