White powder mailed to FBI came from Minnesota man trying to frame relative, feds say
Two suspicious envelopes mailed to an FBI field office in Minnesota years apart were linked to a man attempting to impersonate a family member so they would be investigated, federal officials said.
The accused sender, 45-year-old Oleg Petrashov, pleaded guilty to two counts of false information and hoax, according to a plea agreement filed on March 26.
Petrashov’s attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for comment on March 31.
The first manila envelope sent to the FBI field office in Brooklyn Park in June 2020 contained a brown and tan powder, according to prosecutors.
Petrashov sent a second envelope to the same office in November 2022, but this time, it contained a white powder, prosecutors said.
On both occasions, the suspicious powders launched investigations for “explosives and biological agents” at the office, according to the plea agreement. Bomb technicians were deployed and those working in the office were temporarily relocated, according to federal officials.
Months after the second envelope showed up at the field office, Petrashov told investigators that he was the one that sent the envelopes, the plea agreement said.
He attempted to impersonate a family member of his when he sent the mail in hopes that it would trigger an investigation into that person, according to court documents. Petrashov said he had a “disagreement” with the family member.
Petrashov faces up to five years in prison, but prosecutors plan to recommend no more than eight months of prison as part of the plea agreement, according to court documents.
Brooklyn Park is about a 15-mile drive northwest from Minneapolis.
