An Elmont man has been found guilty of possession of a weapon and drugs outside a Mount Sinai convenience store and gas station.
On February 11, 2023, around 1:20 a.m., an off-duty detective spotted Clyves Laurent, who matched the description of a suspect wanted for a prior robbery at the same location. Laurent entered the store wearing a ski mask, lingered briefly without making any purchases, and then left abruptly. The detective, suspecting a weapon due to a visible bulge in Laurent’s pants, approached him. Laurent became combative and tried to flee when backup officers attempted a frisk but was subsequently apprehended.
Upon arrest, officers discovered a defaced Glock handgun hidden in Laurent’s groin area and found methamphetamine during processing at the Suffolk County Police Department’s Sixth Precinct.
On April 18, 2024, Laurent, 30, was convicted of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C felony; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D felony; and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor. He had a prior conviction in 2010 for attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.
Laurent is scheduled for sentencing on May 21, 2024, and could face up to 15 years in prison.
“This defendant, a previously convicted violent felon, had a defaced and loaded handgun when he entered a convenience store with a ski mask on,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Thanks to the sharp eyes and quick thinking of an off-duty Suffolk County detective, a potentially violent incident was averted.”