By Ahmed Abdelsalam
An Oklahoma City man has been charged with sending hundreds of letters containing white powder to public officials ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections, federal authorities announced Tuesday.
Charges and Arrest
Robin Martin was arrested Monday and charged with conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications. He was scheduled to appear Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City. The powders, initially deemed suspicious, were later identified as yeast or flour, though not all letters have been fully tested, the FBI said in court filings.
Scope of Mailings
Investigators believe more than 700 mailings are linked to the same sender. The letters were addressed to election officials, members of Congress, pollsters, news media, and federal law enforcement agencies across numerous states from Idaho to Florida. The mailings prompted evacuations of election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma in October.
Investigation Details
The FBI said the investigation dates back to 2024 when election officials in every state reported receiving mail with a white substance and a three-page letter declaring war. Some messages were visible only under ultraviolet light. The sender used a return address labeled “U.S.T.E.A., United States Traitor Elimination Army, Takoma Park, MD,” and warned recipients of upcoming arrests for treason.
Evidence and Arrest
Surveillance video shows Martin’s vehicle stopping at Postal Service mailboxes in Oklahoma City, Dallas, and San Antonio in October. Fingerprints lifted from a letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, whose first name was written as “Kashyap,” matched Martin. Online records do not list an attorney for Martin, and relatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Link to Democratic Socialists of America
The FBI said Martin, posing as “George Livingston,” posted a message to a Democratic Socialists of America email list in October warning members they were traitors eligible for arrest for treason if they voted in the November 3 election. The organization assisted the FBI in the investigation.
