Oklahoma Man Faces Federal Charges for Mailing Hoax Threats to Officials
Robin Martin, arrested Monday, allegedly sent over 700 letters containing nonhazardous powders and ultraviolet warnings to election officials and lawmakers.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Federal prosecutors filed charges against an Oklahoma City man for a campaign of threatening mail sent to public officials.
FBI Agent David Cole stated in a court affidavit that investigators linked more than 700 mailings from this fall to the same sender. The letters were addressed to election officials, members of Congress, pollsters, news media, and federal law enforcement. While the powders in the letters were identified as nonhazardous substances like yeast or flour, the FBI noted that not every item has been fully tested.
Robin Martin was arrested on Monday and appeared in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City on Tuesday. He faces charges of conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications. Court records do not yet list an attorney for Martin, and family members did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The investigation began in 2024 when officials in multiple states received mail containing a white substance and a three-page letter declaring war. The sender used the return address "U.S.T.E.A., United States Traitor Elimination Army, Takoma Park, MD." Some letters included warnings visible only under ultraviolet light, with one reading, "Stay on the right side of history! Your life may depend on it!!"
Martin allegedly used common household items to create the invisible ink. Walmart records indicate he purchased turmeric and vinegar. The FBI also obtained his fingerprints from a letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, though the recipient's first name was misspelled as "Kashyap." Video evidence shows Martin's car stopping at mailboxes in Oklahoma City, Dallas, and San Antonio during October.
The letters warned recipients of upcoming arrests for treason "or worse!!" Cole said the writer claimed President Donald Trump won the 2020 election and expressed concern that similar issues were recurring ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections. The Democratic Socialists of America assisted the investigation after Martin, posing as George Livingston, posted a message to a DSA email list in October. That message warned members they were traitors eligible for treason arrest if they voted on Nov. 3.
The mailings caused evacuations at election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Officials in states from Idaho to Florida reported receiving or intercepting the suspicious packages. Federal authorities had urged recipients to treat the mail as potentially hazardous last month.
