Blaine Man Pleads Guilty In FBI White Powder Hoax Case

A Blaine man has pleaded guilty to two counts of False Information and Hoax after mailing envelopes containing powder to the FBI Field Office in Brooklyn Park.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick, 45 year old Oleg Petrashov mailed a manila envelope containing a brown and tan powder November 4th, 2022.

According to court documents, Petrashov mailed a second envelope containing a white powder to the same FBI Field Office on June 30th, 2020, “resulting in significant disruptions at the FBI Field Office, requiring the temporary relocation of employees, implementation of decontamination protocols, and deployment of special agent bomb technicians”.

Authorities say Petrashov wanted to trigger an investigation into a family member with whom he had a personal dispute.

Petrashov pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to intentionally conveying false or misleading information that could reasonably be perceived as a biological agent or explosive.