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Crime & Safety

Oklahoma man charged with mailing hundreds of powder letters to US officials

The FBI says the substance was yeast or flour, but not every letter has been tested fully, and he was due in court Tuesday.

13 news outlets reported this
Liberal4 outletsthe affidavit's allegations about Martin's letters and motivesCenter5 outletsthe charges and what the powder wasConservative4 outletsthe FBI arrest and the nationwide investigation
Published 4 min read
Overview

An Oklahoma man, Robin Martin, faces federal charges over hundreds of letters holding nonhazardous white powder that went to public officials before the 2024 and 2026 elections. In a court filing made public Tuesday, the said the powder turned out to be yeast or flour. It added that not every letter has been tested in full.

Martin is charged with a hoax count and with mailing threatening communications. He was expected to make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon in Oklahoma City, and online records list no attorney for him. An affidavit from FBI agent David Cole says more than 700 mailings appear tied to a single sender.

Recipients ranged from election officials and lawmakers to pollsters, journalists and federal law enforcement. A frequent message in the 2024 and 2026 mailings warned of coming arrests for treason "or worse!!" and one return address read "United States Traitor Elimination Army." In October, federal authorities said they were investigating letters with "suspicious substances" sent to congressional and election offices, and told recipients to treat them as "potentially hazardous."

Election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma were evacuated that month.

Key figures
  • more than 700 mailings linked to the same sender, per an FBI agent's affidavit — The Seattle Times
  • more than 100 locations where letters were sent, per a federal law enforcement source to Fox News — Fox News
  • more than 15 states states whose election offices got similar letters in the 2024 cycle, as Fox News reports it — Fox News

Three sides of the story

Liberal4 outlets

the affidavit's allegations about Martin's letters and motives

CBS News leads with an Oklahoma man facing federal charges after allegedly mailing hundreds of white-powder letters to officials before the 2024 and 2026 elections. Citing charging documents, it says more than 700 envelopes went to officials of both parties. Authorities said the powder was nontoxic and that the envelopes carried messages in UV-reactive ink.

The FBI affidavit, CBS reports, says Martin "described perceived issues with the 2020 election" and claimed Trump won it. CBS adds that some envelopes carried return addresses tied to former headquarters of the Green Party of the United States and Democratic Socialists of America, and that the DSA has cooperated with the FBI. It also reports handwriting analysis, surveillance footage at a USPS facility and a message allegedly from Martin to FBI Director Kash Patel that investigators intercepted.

CBS says it was not immediately clear whether Martin was in custody. The Guardian (US) runs the Associated Press report, which opens with the charges and the FBI's finding of yeast or flour, with some letters not fully tested. It quotes a sergeant at arms message: "it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations."

Center5 outlets

the charges and what the powder was

The Seattle Times, running the Associated Press report, opens with the charge against an Oklahoma man and gives the FBI's statement that the powder was yeast or flour, with not all letters fully tested. It adds that Martin was arrested Monday and that election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma were evacuated in October. Per FBI agent David Cole's affidavit, investigators believe more than 700 mailings "appeared to be associated with the same sender."

It describes the 2024 mail as a white substance with a three-page letter declaring war, and quotes the return address of the "United States Traitor Elimination Army." Courthouse News carries the AP dispatch datelined Oklahoma City. It closes with the Senate sergeant at arms' warning that some letters might still arrive and the FBI sending questions to the #x27;s office.

NewsNation's headline says a man is charged over letters containing powder ahead of the election, and its text names a hoax charge and a charge of mailing threatening communications.

Conservative4 outlets

the FBI arrest and the nationwide investigation

Fox News opens with "FIRST ON FOX": the FBI arrested an Oklahoma City man early Monday, a federal law enforcement source told it. The source said letters went to more than 100 locations, including secretary of state and election offices. Fox lists the agencies that led the investigation, among them the FBI's Oklahoma City field office, the Postal Inspection Service and Capitol Police.

It recalls an Oct. 23 FBI advisory saying no hazardous material had been identified in the substances tested to that point, with lab work continuing. It also names senators whose offices were sent suspicious mail, including Padilla and Gillibrand. Just the News headlines the arrest "on suspicion" of sending the letters, cites Fox News Digital for the court appearance, and points to a separate case in which an Illinois man was charged over allegedly mailing a white powdery substance to Chicago-area members of .

The New York Post runs the Associated Press report on the charges.

All sources: 14 articles from 13 outlets

Liberal (4)

Center (5)

Conservative (5)

FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation: the main federal police and counterintelligence agency, part of the Justice Department.

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Senate

The upper chamber of Congress: 100 senators, two per state, elected for six years. It confirms judges and ministers and approves treaties.

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District attorney and US attorney

A district attorney is the local prosecutor, usually elected, who brings charges under state law. A US attorney is the federal prosecutor for a district, appointed by the president, who brings federal charges.

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Congress

The US parliament: the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill becomes law when both pass it and the president signs it.

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