Buffalo Woman Indicted For Threatening A Witness

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Bridgette McClain, 31, of Buffalo, NY, with retaliating against a witness, and retaliating against a person for providing truthful information to a law enforcement officer. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremiah E. Lenihan and Brendan T. Cullinane, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on November 2 and November 5, 2018, an individual testified for the Government in the trial of United States v. Dontrell Wise. A federal jury convicted Wise of the crimes alleged in the indictment and he was sentenced to serve life in prison. In November 2018, law enforcement officers learned that the defendant had posted a threatening post against the individual who testified on Facebook. The post included a photo of the individual with the word “SNITCH” superimposed over the individual’s photograph. Above the photograph, the post included the statement, “This (expletive) Took the stand on my cuz and told lies just for her to get 20 years kill all Rats[.]” 

The defendant was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and was released on conditions.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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