On a recent Friday, Nassau County police revealed the detainment of two men from North Merrick on accusations of attempted arson. Allegedly, they had attempted to set fire to a county building by placing propane tanks in close proximity and directing flares at them. This hazardous event reportedly occurred last month.
The individuals implicated in the case, as per the report, are Jayson Anthony Reyes, aged 25, and James Luca, aged 46. Evidently, the incident transpired during the early hours of a day in the latter half of September. Court records detail them placing a large 20-pound propane tank alongside a smaller 1-pound one and attaching both to a torch igniter.
The Nassau County Social Services Building in Uniondale was the designated target in their dangerous plot. The court documents elaborate further, implying that these propane tanks were positioned carefully on their sides next to this particular building. The strategy was evidently to spark a significant fire or possibly an explosion.
Police investigations make some shocking revelations. After setting up this dangerous configuration, Luca supposedly threw multiple flares in the direction of the propane tanks. The alleged motive driving these daring actions was to cause the propane tanks to burst into flames, or worse, explode. If successful, this would have spread the fire to the nearby building.
Both men faced charges of first-degree attempted arson, among other offenses, on the following Thursday. The accusations they were facing were severe, including obstruction of governmental duties through the use of a bomb. The first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon were among the other charges tabled against them.
The prosecutions didn’t stop there, however. The police also charged them with a fourth-degree conspiracy. Reyes had another charge he had to face – a seat belt violation. The severity of the charges against them in the court documents showcase the extent of the alleged offense.
Reyes chose to plead his innocence, denying every one of the six charges against him during his arraignment. This includes the accusations of attempted arson, obstruction of governmental duties through bombing, various degrees of criminal weapon possession, as well as the seat belt violation. All of these charges were refuted by him strongly, with him claiming not guilty to all six.
After the arraignment, the court sanctioned necessary actions to restrict the movements of both men. Luca was sent directly to the Nassau County jail, whereas Reyes’ situation was a bit different. His freedom was bound by a bail amount of a hefty $100,000 cash.
Reyes’s bail didn’t stop at the intimidating cash component of $100,000. He was also mandated to provide a $200,000 bond, alongside a partially secured bond priced at a staggering $1,000,000. These defence mechanisms ensured the accountability of Reyes, as mentioned in the court documents.
Luca’s situation, on the other hand, was distinct. His arrangements involved immediate detention in the Nassau County jail. The gravity of the charges against him had been deemed significant enough to warrant this directive from the court.
As for the legal progression of their cases, both Luca and Reyes will continue to face further court proceedings. The follow-up court hearing is penned in for October the 8th, as per the court documents. Both men will need to attend this session in court to address the allegations and charges against them.