Robin Martin, a 67-year-old resident of Oklahoma City, has been charged in federal court with sending threatening mail and transmitting false or misleading information. Authorities allege he sent hundreds of letters containing a white powder to state election officials, lawmakers, research institutes and media organizations before the US midterm elections.
The FBI said tests found the powder was harmless and consistent with yeast or flour. Letters sent in early October were addressed to election officials in all 50 states, according to a statement filed with the court.
Martin was arrested on Monday, November 2, and ordered held pending further proceedings on Tuesday, November 3. A hearing is scheduled for November 9. His lawyers declined to comment.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the letters were a calculated attempt to terrorize public servants, adding that intimidation has no place in a nation governed by the rule of law.
The FBI said the October letters used an outdated New York return address for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Investigators also said Martin contacted the organization in August and obtained email addresses for some of its members. Those addresses were later added to a mailing list that sent threatening messages warning recipients they could be arrested if they voted.
Investigators believe Martin may also have sent threatening letters to election and postal officials in 2024. The FBI linked him to a letter from that year that claimed Donald Trump had won the 2020 election and raised concerns about issues that resurfaced ahead of the 2024 election.
The investigation led authorities to Martin through security-camera images from postal facilities and a Walmart, where investigators believe a phone used in the threats was purchased. The government also said Martin wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel. The letter bore fingerprints identified as Martin’s and included the phrase “FBI SAVE THE USA” in ink that reacts to ultraviolet light. The same words appeared in other threatening letters.
Sources: CNN Brasil.