Man charged with mailing powder to officials

Federal agents charged an Oklahoma man with sending hundreds of letters containing white powder to public officials before the 2024 and 2026 elections.

FBI court filings released Tuesday state that the powders were identified as yeast or flour. However, officials noted that not every letter has been fully tested yet.

Robin Martin faces charges for conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications. He was arrested on Monday and was scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Online records did not show an attorney representing him at the time of the filing.

Investigators traced more than 700 mailings to a single sender, according to FBI agent David Cole. The letters were addressed to election officials, members of Congress, pollsters, news outlets, and federal law enforcement agencies. The investigation began in 2024 when officials across every state reported receiving mail with a white substance.

The packages prompted evacuations of election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma in October. Numerous states, including Idaho and Florida, reported that their offices received the letters or had them intercepted by the Postal Service. Recipients were previously urged to treat the mailings as potentially hazardous while authorities investigated.

Martin listed a return address as U.S.T.E.A., or the United States Traitor Elimination Army, located in Takoma Park, Maryland. A recurring message in the correspondence warned recipients to expect arrests for treason or worse.