Oklahoma City Man Charged With Mailing Hundreds of Hoax Powder Letters to Election Officials and Others

What happened

Federal authorities have charged an Oklahoma City man with mailing hundreds of letters containing white powder and warnings about treason to public officials ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections, PBS NewsHour reported, citing the Associated Press. Charging documents were made public Tuesday, according to CBS News.

Robin Patrick Martin, 67, is charged with one count of conveying false or misleading information and hoaxes and one count of mailing threatening communications, CBS News reported. Court records show he was arrested Monday and ordered detained pending a preliminary hearing on Nov. 9. PBS reported that online records did not list an attorney who could comment for him, and several relatives did not immediately respond to messages.

What the FBI says the letters contained

Powder and invisible ink

The FBI said in a court filing that the powders were nonhazardous, either yeast or flour, though not every letter has been fully tested, PBS reported. Some letters carried warnings that could only be read under ultraviolet light. The FBI said Walmart records show Martin bought common household goods such as turmeric and vinegar to make the invisible ink.

Messages and return addresses

A common theme in the 2024 and 2026 mailings was a warning that recipients faced arrest for treason "or worse!!" according to the FBI. One return address read "U.S.T.E.A., United States Traitor Elimination Army, Takoma Park, MD," PBS reported. CBS News reported that some messages carried return addresses tied to former headquarters of the Green Party of the United States and the Democratic Socialists of America.

In an affidavit, FBI agent David Cole said the writer described perceived problems with the 2020 election and claimed President Donald Trump won that election. The affidavit said the 2026 letters "all pertained to the upcoming 2026 national elections," CBS reported.

Who was targeted

Investigators believe more than 700 mailings this fall appear linked to the same sender, PBS reported. They were addressed to election officials, members of Congress, pollsters, news media and federal law enforcement. CBS News reported the envelopes went to officials of both parties across the country.

The mailings led to evacuations of election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma. According to PBS, states from Idaho to Florida said they received letters or had them intercepted by the Postal Service. In October, Brendan Donahue, deputy chief inspector at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, confirmed suspicious mailings had gone to addresses nationwide, including secretary of state offices, CBS reported. The Senate sergeant at arms also notified congressional staff of the investigation.

How investigators say they identified the sender

Video and fingerprints

The FBI said it has video of Martin's car stopping at mailboxes in October at Postal Service sites in Oklahoma City, Dallas and San Antonio, PBS reported. Investigators also said they found his fingerprints on a letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, whose first name was written as "Kashyap."

Handwriting and purchase records

Federal prosecutors allege that handwriting on a 2024 envelope sent to the Oklahoma State Election Board matched the new batch of letters, according to CBS News. Records reviewed by investigators allegedly show Martin bought items used for the mailings in August of this year, along with ingredients for the ink.

A message to an email list

The FBI believes Martin, posing as someone named George Livingston, posted a message to a DSA email list in October, PBS reported. The message warned members that they were traitors and could be arrested for treason if they voted in the Nov. 3 election. The affidavit said the DSA cooperated with the investigation, according to CBS.

Where the case stands

PBS reported that Martin was expected to appear Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City. CBS News said it had reached out to the Justice Department for comment. More reporting on voting and election security is available in our elections coverage and other national news.

What to watch next

• Martin's preliminary hearing, set for Nov. 9, according to court records cited by CBS News.
• Results of further testing, since the FBI said not all letters have been fully tested.
• Any response from the Justice Department, which CBS News said it had contacted for comment.