by Jake Bauer
MARIENVILLE, Pa. (EYT) — In a disturbing case of alleged threats from behind bars, a Pennsylvania state prison inmate now faces multiple charges for what investigators describe as a detailed plan to terrorize corrections staff upon his release.
Earl J. Roberts Jr., 45, was charged with five misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another and one misdemeanor count of false reports, stemming from incidents at SCI Forest on July 1, 2024.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Marienville-based State Police, the incident occurred between 2:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. at the State Correctional Institution Forest, located at 286 Woodland Drive in Marienville, Jenks Township, Forest County.
According to the police report, Roberts allegedly threatened the lives of several prison staff members during an escort. The threats were captured on camera.
Roberts reportedly stated he would begin targeting staff members upon his release on December 12, 2024. His threats included graphic descriptions of violence, including beating staff with a bat, using a wood chipper to dispose of bodies, and torturing victims. He allegedly stated, “One every week,” and “Each week you’re going to be missing an employee.”
The inmate also reportedly boasted about premeditation and claimed law enforcement would be unable to identify victims or find evidence, saying, “You need a body, you need the weapon, and you won’t be able to subpoena every [expletive] Lowe’s in Pennsylvania.”
The criminal complaint includes the following direct quotes from Roberts:
“Not one guard safe here on December 12th”, I’m going to beat each one of you with a bat on December 12th”,
“One every week”,
“Then l am going to Lowe’s and get me a wood chipper and grab each one of you all once a week and I’m going to feed all of you to a wood chipper, including nurses, when l max out December 12th”,
“Each one of you [expletive] in a wood chipper to see if the cops can identify that”,
“One at a time I’m going to drill holes in your hands and feet”,
“I’m going to put each one of you in a wood chipper they can’t identify that [expletive]”,
“Can’t find no DNA in that [expletive]”,
“I’m going to rinse out with water, rinse out with bleach, kill it out with ammonia, and take it back to [expletive] Lowe’s” (referring to the wood chipper), “yeah I pre-meditate [expletive]”,
“I’m going to catch any worker coming the [expletive] out of here, I don’t give a [expletive] if you are a correction officer, a nurse, or psych”,
“Every week you’re going to be missing an employee”, “let’s see if court can identify that, cause for you to find me guilty, it’s not enough you need a body, you need the weapon, and you won’t be able to subpoena every [expletive] Lowe’s in Pennsylvania”,
“You won’t find your body”, “I’m going to make sure each one of you pay”,
“You all think you’re above the law, I don’t abide by law, I’m here for breaking it, and I ain’t going to change, not once”.
The report states that Roberts claimed the camera footage was hearsay evidence and couldn’t be used against him, which is why he was saying everything directly to the camera.
The charges also relate to a false report made by Roberts on July 12, 2024, claiming sexual assault by a corrections officer during the July 1 incident. A Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) investigation, including review of video footage, found no evidence to support the allegation.
Roberts was arrested by the Marienville Pennsylvania State Police on September 18, 2024. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 22, 2024, before The Honorable Daniel L. Miller.
The case remains active, with Roberts awaiting his preliminary hearing. He has not requested a public defender, according to court records. The Forest County District Attorney’s Office is representing the Commonwealth in this case.