NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Long Island man was arraigned on Wednesday after he allegedly tried to ignite a homemade bomb at the Nassau County Department of Social Services in an act of revenge for losing visitation with his kids, prosecutors said.
At 1:42 a.m. on Sept. 17, James Luca and Jayson Anthony Reyes allegedly left Luca’s North Merrick home in two separate vehicles before meeting up 10 minutes later and getting into a single car. They then drove to 60 Charles Lindberg Blvd., the location of the Nassau County DSS, prosecutors said.
While Reyes stood lookout, Luca, 46, is accused of placing one 20-pound propane tank and another 1-pound camping propane tank at the doors of the building with a torch on top.
Surveillance forage shows Luca trying to throw lit flares at the tanks in a failed attempt to ignite it, the district attorney’s office said.
The pair then ditched the car they drove in together and got in a different vehicle, driving it back to Luca’s home.
The device was discovered later that morning by the DSS’ director of investigations who immediately informed police. The Nassau County Police Department’s Arson and Bomb Squad, Uniondale Fire Department and Nassau County Fire Marshal’s Office all responded, evacuated the building and secured the homemade bomb.
An investigation led police to discover another 20-pound propane tank not far from the scene and the abandoned vehicle in East Meadow that had additional road flares inside.
Luca and Reyes, 25, were arrested on Oct. 3.
“James Luca, aggrieved and blaming Nassau County Child Protective Services for revoking his visitation rights with his children, allegedly hatched a terroristic revenge plot to bomb the Department of Social Services building in Uniondale using an improvised homemade device made of propane tanks and road flares,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “This is the first time that my office has pursued the gravely serious charge of terrorism against a defendant. James Luca’s alleged actions, his plotting, and his attempts to ignite an explosion at a government building where dozens of public servants work to serve our county every day, justifies this significant upgrade in charges.”
Luca is charged with terrorism, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, obstructing governmental duties by means of a bomb, conspiracy and attempt to commit the crime of arson, prosecutors said.
“This dangerous individual put hundreds of lives in danger by placing these deadly devices at a building designed to provide vital services for the residents of Nassau County,” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. “I want to commend the excellent work done by our Arson Bomb Squad detectives for bringing this case to a successful conclusion and thank our partners in the Nassau County District Attorney's Office for their continued commitment to aggressively prosecuting those who put public safety in jeopardy.”
Reyes was also arraigned on Wednesday after being charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, obstructing governmental duties by means of a bomb and conspiracy, court records show.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and were remanded. Luca is due back in court on Dec. 19, and Reyes Nov.
21.
“Luca now faces the potential of life in prison for his radical violence,” Donnelly said. “Together with the Nassau County Police Department we will protect the workers and residents of Nassau County from any threats, whether they are foreign or born right here in our backyard.”