US midterm elections: Oklahoma man sends hundreds of letters containing powder to public officials

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Tuesday charged an Oklahoma man with sending hundreds of letters containing nonhazardous white powder to public officials ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections.

The powders turned out to be yeast or flour, the FBI said in a court filing made public Tuesday, reported AP.

The person identified as Robin Martin has been charged with conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications, and he was arrested Monday.


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Federal authorities announced last month that they were investigating letters with “suspicious substances” that had been mailed to congressional and election offices nationwide and urged recipients to treat the mailings as “potentially hazardous”.

FBI agent David Cole said in an affidavit that more than 700 mailings appeared to be associated with the same sender. They were addressed to election officials, members of Congress, pollsters, news media and federal law enforcement.

The investigation dates back to 2024, when election officials in several states reported receiving mail containing a white substance along with a three-page letter declaring war, the FBI said.

The sender listed the return address as “U.S.T.E.A., United States Traitor Elimination Army, Takoma Park, MD.”

(With inputs from AP)