Halfmoon Gun Threatener Gets 3 Years+

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Romano McCain, 49, of Halfmoon, New York, is headed to federal prison after a jury found him guilty of turning petty disputes into violent threats. McCain was sentenced Monday to 46 months in prison and three years of post-release supervision for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, and two counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure.

The case, a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the North Greenbush Police Department, revealed a pattern of escalating aggression fueled by money and ego. It all started in January 2020 with a $65 dispute over a motorcycle vest. McCain’s demand for payment quickly devolved into chilling Facebook threats, including a message stating, “Bro..just have my money….i play with guns..no fighting….and i always have one on me…you on that bs….pay me pay money,” and the even more direct, “i will blow your [expletive] head off.”

But the vest was just the opening act. Later that month, a separate financial disagreement ignited another furious outburst. This time, McCain targeted a man’s infant daughter, sending a Facebook message promising, “I will kill your dauther..bro..i dont know me….we at the strip in morning..be there…me and my girl…with the heat..see you there.” Investigators determined “the Strip” referred to a popular motorsport gathering spot on River Road in North Greenbush. McCain followed through, showing up with his girlfriend on February 23rd, engaging in a fistfight, and then escalating the situation by firing a rifle into a crowd.

Law enforcement moved quickly. Five days later, ATF agents and local police raided McCain’s girlfriend’s Latham, New York home, where he’d spent the night. The search uncovered a loaded .38 special revolver hidden in a chest at the foot of the bed, along with a box of ammunition under the couch. Text messages recovered from McCain’s phone further exposed his obsession with firearms, even boasting, “We got alot [sic] of guns” after the February 23rd shooting. The timing couldn’t be worse: a domestic violence restraining order issued by the Albany City Court in June 2019 already prohibited McCain from possessing any weapons.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Rachel Williams presented the evidence at trial, successfully demonstrating McCain’s deliberate and dangerous behavior. The 46-month sentence sends a clear message that threatening violence and illegally possessing firearms will not be tolerated. The ATF’s Special Agent in Charge, John B. DeVito, and North Greenbush Police Chief David Keevern, lauded the collaborative effort that brought McCain to justice, emphasizing the importance of interagency cooperation in tackling violent crime.

McCain’s post-release supervision will last three years. While behind bars, he’ll have plenty of time to reflect on how a $65 motorcycle vest and a bruised ego landed him in this mess. This case serves as a stark reminder of the volatile combination of firearms, unresolved anger, and the ease with which online threats can spill into real-world violence. “