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Police: Man's Facebook threats to form militia led to arrest
Gaston Gazette ^ | 3-19-2015 | Lauren Baheri

Posted on 03/19/2015 10:42:50 AM PDT by Citizen Zed

A man is facing charges after threatening to form a militia against law enforcement in Lincoln County. The man claimed to have weapons and explosive devices he threatened to use against officers.

Timothy Lee Cornwell, 45, was arrested Wednesday and charged with felony probation violation and misdemeanor resist, delay and obstruct a public officer and communicating threats. 

Police say the threats started after police, looking for Cornwell on outstanding charges from Burke County, searched his daughter’s home in Lincoln County. He wasn’t there at the time, so they left, said Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Jason Reid.

Cornwell took to Facebook to express his anger at the officer’s searching his daughter’s home. He claimed officers violated her rights by searching without a warrant.

Police say the daughter was cooperative and allowed officers into the home.

“The cops are taking what I said (as) a threat but what I am saying goes along with our second (amendment),” Cornwell wrote on Facebook. “If they are in your house, no warrant, going (through) your drawers, you tell them to leave. They don’t. Then you can bear arms against them.”

Cornwell made mention of certain weapons he had, including an explosive device, and wanted to form a militia, Reid said.

“I’m trying to form (militia) against Lincolnton County if everyone else would stop letting them do it, it (would) make a difference,” Cornwell wrote.

Cornwell wrote that he had drones live streaming the officer’s whereabouts and would “kill for his rights.”

Reid said what was particularly concerning was when Cornwell began naming officers, including an undercover officer by their names. He knew physical descriptions of the officers, their patrol car numbers and where they had been known to patrol.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office investigators contacted the U.S. Marshals to help apprehend Cornwell.

U.S. Marshals and the Lincoln County SWAT team arrested Cornwell at a home on Lutz Dairy Farm Road. Reid said Cornwell was combative and had to be restrained.

No weapons were found in the home at the time of his arrest.

“Lincoln County is a better place with people like Timothy Cornwell in prison and removed from the community.” Reid said. “We encourage residents to go onto Cornwell’s Facebook page and read the posts which Timothy Cornwell has made before he has an opportunity to take them down.”

Cornwell was jailed on a $28,000 secured bond.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: northcarolina
And I'm sure his drones were powered by fairy dust.
1 posted on 03/19/2015 10:42:50 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
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To: Citizen Zed

No, he was arrested because he was on probation and provided police with probable cause that he was violating the terms of probation.


2 posted on 03/19/2015 10:47:28 AM PDT by Oliviaforever
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To: Citizen Zed

The ‘coppers’ are sure spooked these days....
good


3 posted on 03/19/2015 10:51:30 AM PDT by ßuddaßudd (>> F U B O << "What the hell kind of country is this if I can only hate a man if he's white?")
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To: Oliviaforever

Yeah there is a little more to it than simply threatening to form a militia.


4 posted on 03/19/2015 10:52:26 AM PDT by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: All

hey, he was doing what liberals always say is the proper procedure for gun ownership, “a well armed militia”.


5 posted on 03/19/2015 10:54:03 AM PDT by willywill
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To: cripplecreek

This guy does seem to have a screw loose. I’m guessing he is either over or under medicated.


6 posted on 03/19/2015 11:10:05 AM PDT by Citizen Zed ("Freedom costs a buck o five" - Gary Johnston, TAWP)
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To: Citizen Zed

uhhhh.....it was not the threat to form a militia that got him arrested, it was the threat to blow-up some police officers.


7 posted on 03/19/2015 11:13:30 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Citizen Zed

U.S. Marshalls?

What would involve the federal government?

Funny that they would do this. Every day, REAL terrorists, mafias, foreign militias, gunrunners and hired killers cross into the United States virtually unimpeded across the Mexican border.

But no flying phalanx of U.S. Marshalls there. Nope. Just some sap with a beanbag gun, about to get waxed by a Russian machine gun.

Good to see the priorities are straight.


8 posted on 03/19/2015 11:20:36 AM PDT by Regulator
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To: Citizen Zed
No weapons were found in the home at the time of his arrest.

Must have been a boating accident.

9 posted on 03/19/2015 11:37:55 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Where am I to go now that I've gone too far?)
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To: Citizen Zed

“...can you tell me where we’re headin’...Lincoln County, or Armageddon?”


10 posted on 03/19/2015 11:43:57 AM PDT by gr8eman (Don't waste your energy trying to understand commies. Use it to defeat them!)
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To: Regulator

“Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office investigators contacted the U.S. Marshals to help apprehend Cornwell.”

Assisting local law enforcement in capturing fugitives is one of the legitimate jobs of the U.S. Marshalls. Remember Tommy Lee Jones’ character in “The Fugitive”?


11 posted on 03/19/2015 12:19:14 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Boogieman

That was a fugitive who crossed State lines.

This guy was holed up...in his house.

I think the real reason here was the mention of explosives, so they can bring up federal regulations about that.

But it’s really ludicrous overreaction to one guy bloviating. You can take anyone’s statements and escalate it into “a federal case” as the joke goes. And this was a joke.


12 posted on 03/19/2015 12:28:35 PM PDT by Regulator
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To: gr8eman

“...can you tell me where we’re headin’...Lincoln County, or Armageddon?”

<><><><

Nicely done with the Dylan’s Senor lyric (but you missed the word ‘road’, lincoln county road or armageddon).

Best version of the song: Tim O’Brien on Red on Blonde (a cd of Dylan covers bluegrassy style).


13 posted on 03/19/2015 12:41:50 PM PDT by dmz
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To: Regulator

“That was a fugitive who crossed State lines.”

No, it was not. He was convicted under state law (homicide), and was being transported to a state prison, probably in Joliet, and then he fled to Chicago. He never left the state of Illinois.

“But it’s really ludicrous overreaction to one guy bloviating.”

He wasn’t just “bloviating”. He made threats against police officers, and was posting their names, addresses, and patrol routines online, including for at least one undercover officer.


14 posted on 03/19/2015 12:57:58 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Citizen Zed

No, no, let me guess. He wasn’t trying to form a muslim militia and that’s what got him arrested.


15 posted on 03/19/2015 1:05:43 PM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "we still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: Citizen Zed

Post your terrorist attack plans on Facebook! What could go wrong?


16 posted on 03/19/2015 2:27:12 PM PDT by Kaled
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