Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the
case, stated that on May 17, 2017, the defendant made threats against an
individual that he believed was cooperating in a drug investigation in the
Elmira area. McLaurin intended to prevent that person from testifying and
providing information to law enforcement authorities about the drug trafficking
organization.
On May 16, 2017, four individuals—Robert Ian Thatcher,
Maximillian Sams, Dwayne Banks, and Carlito Rios, Jr.—were arrested and charged
in a federal criminal complaint with various drug trafficking and firearms
offenses including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to
distribute, quantities of furanyl fentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance,
and U-47700, a Schedule I controlled substance.
On May 16, 2017, an article about the arrests and
investigation was published on the website for the Star Gazette, the local
newspaper in Elmira. The article was entitled “Four face federal charges in
Elmira drug investigation.” A digital
copy of the complaint and supporting affidavit were also published on the Star
Gazette’s website with the article. In the supporting affidavit, certain
confidential sources were referenced by anonymous designations (including
“CC-1” and “CS-2”).
The following day, May 17, 2017, a member of law enforcement
observed a series of public Facebook comments related to the investigation
described in the article on a Facebook page bearing the user name “Isaiah
Mclaurin” and a profile picture of Isaiah L. McLaurin. One post stated:
Isaiah Mclaurin
Facts somebody better
have this N**** in protective custody cause if he thinks he can just pick his
daughter up from school and everything’s gonna be ok. He got it coming
In these Facebook posts, McLaurin publicly identified the
individual – referred to as Individual A – that he believed is one of the
confidential sources referenced in the complaint against Thatcher, Sams, Banks,
and Rios, and threatened both Individual A and Individual A’s child.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug
Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge
James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; the New York State Police, under the
direction of Major Richard Allen; the Elmira Police Department, under the
direction of Chief Joseph Kane; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland
Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James
C. Spero; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the
direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division;
and the Pennsylvania State Police, under the direction of Commissioner Colonel
Tyree C. Blocker.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 28, 2017, at 3:00 p.m.
before Chief Judge Geraci.
