Waukesha man accused of passing off Play-Doh as ecstasy

WAUKESHA (WITI) -- 20-year-old Matthew McClain of Waukesha is accused of selling fake ecstasy pills, made of Play-Doh.

McClain faces two counts of delivery of schedule I, II or III non-narcotics, second and subsequent offense, two counts of imitation of controlled substance, repeater, one count of maintaining a drug trafficking place, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

A criminal complaint in the case says a confidential informant and a detective with the Waukesha County Metro Drug Unit set up a buy of ecstasy and marijuana from McClain.

The deal occurred at McClain's residence on Camden Way in Waukesha.

The criminal complaint says McClain and a young child exited the residence, and McClain told the CI his "little cousin" would have to come along to pick up the marijuana.

The complaint says the CI told McClain she would just take the pills.

Inside the vehicle, sitting next to the detective who came along for this pickup, the complaint says McClain took out from his shoe a small Ziploc baggie containing seven pink pills and three orange pills.

The complaint says the pills were exchanged with money and the CI and detective left McClain's residence.

The pills were field tested, and the field tests were inconclusive. The pills were then taken to the Wisconsin Crime Lab, and it was determined they contained a schedule I controlled substance, according to the complaint.

On a second occasion, a detective and a CI again went to McClain's residence to purchase ecstasy pills.

This time, there were three pink pills, three orange pills and nine blue pills -- according to the complaint.

The criminal complaint says the detective questioned the blue pills -- saying they looked like Play-Doh. The complaint says McClain said his guy had just dropped them off, and they were fresh.

The complaint says McClain then gave the detective his phone number -- saying she could go directly through him, and no longer needed the CI.

The pills were field tested, and the results were inconclusive -- so the pills were sent to the State Crime Lab -- which determined the pink and orange pills contained a schedule I controlled substance, but the blue pills did not contain the presence of any controlled substance. This, according to the criminal complaint.

A detective and a CI again arranged for an ecstasy pill pickup at McClain's residence.

This time, the CI was equipped with an audio recorder and a video recorder.

The complaint says the exchange was done inside McClain's residence -- and the CI was given 20 pills.

The pills were field tested and the results were again inconclusive.

The pills were sent to the State Crime Lab, and the examination did not identify the presence of any controlled substances in any of the 20 pills -- according to the complaint.

A search warrant was then issued on McClain's residence on Camden Way, and officials found a pipe, a lockbox of baggies, a scale, two glass pipes, a large amount of baggies, an ID card, a bag containing approximately 35 multi-colored pills and two small bags of what appeared to be cocaine, according to the complaint.

The complaint says the pills were later identified as Play-Doh and the cocaine was later identified as flour.

McClain was interviewed and initially denied having any involvement with dealing drugs out of his residence, according to the complaint.

The complaint says McClain then said he sold ecstasy to a friend during the last month -- and described the drug buys made by the detective and CI.

The complaint says McClain admitted he and his friend had made the pills from Play-Doh and then sold them.

The complaint says McClain told officials he had planned on selling some more fake ecstasy pills and fake cocaine -- saying his plan was in essence to rob the CI of money without providing any real product for it.

McClain told officials he knew what he was doing was illegal, and said the only reason he was doing it was to get free money, according to the complaint.