Oklahoma man charged over 700 powder mailings to officials
Federal authorities identified Robin Martin as the sender of hundreds of letters containing yeast or flour.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Federal prosecutors in Oklahoma City charged a man with coordinating a nationwide campaign of suspicious mailings sent to public officials ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections.
FBI agent David Cole stated in a court affidavit that investigators linked more than 700 mailings to a single sender. These items were delivered to election officials, members of Congress, pollsters, news media, and federal law enforcement agencies. The mailings contained a white powder that was later identified as yeast or flour, according to a court filing made public Tuesday. While not every letter has been fully tested, the substance was deemed nonhazardous by federal investigators.
Robin Martin was arrested Monday and appeared in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City Tuesday. He faces charges of conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications. Online court records did not list an attorney representing him at the time of the filing. The investigation began when officials reported mail containing unknown white substances in every state. This activity traces back to 2024, when election officials received letters with a three page declaration of war.
Colorado representatives were among those targeted during the recent surge in incidents. Democratic Representative Jason Crow stated on Oct. 20 that his office in Aurora received a suspicious letter. He noted that his staff was safe and that the district office remained open for constituents. Democratic Representative Joe Neguse of Boulder and Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado also reported receiving similar mailings around the same time. Neguse confirmed that his office received a powdery white substance and said operations would continue without disruption. Hickenlooper's spokesperson said postal investigators intercepted a letter addressed to his Denver office.
The mailings included a return address for the U.S.T.E.A., or United States Traitor Elimination Army, located in Takoma Park, Maryland. A common theme in the letters was a warning about upcoming arrests for treason. Federal authorities announced last month that they were investigating these suspicious substances and urged recipients to treat the mail as potentially hazardous until tests were complete. The wave of mailings led to the evacuation of election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma in October. Officials in states ranging from Idaho to Florida reported receiving or intercepting the letters.
