MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a North Merrick man pleaded guilty today to multiple charges for plotting to attack the Nassau County Department of Social Services (NCDSS) building last September and attempting to ignite an explosive device.
James Luca, 47, pleaded guilty today before Judge Terence Murphy on charges of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the First Degree (a B violent felony) and Obstructing of Governmental Duties by Means of a Bomb, Destructive Device, Explosive, or Hazardous Substance (a D felony) in satisfaction of the indictment charging him with the attempted bombing of NCDSS.
Separately, to satisfy additional pending cases, Luca pleaded guilty to another count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the First Degree, two counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (an E felony), Residential Mortgage Fraud in the Second Degree (a C felony), Residential Mortgage Fraud in the Third Degree (a D felony), two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree (a D felony), two counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree (a D felony), four counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree (a D felony), and four counts of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (an E felony)
The defendant is expected to be sentenced to 9 years in prison and five years post release supervision when he is back in court on July 8, 2025.
“This defendant is dangerous and unpredictable, instigating fear and terror in his personal life and attempting to sow that same terror when he targeted the dedicated public servants at the Nassau County Department of Social Services with an explosive device last September. James Luca belongs behind bars,” said DA Donnelly. “Luca had several additional open cases with my office for a slew of other criminal acts, including another attempted bombing, mortgage fraud, and identity theft. This defendant has offended and re-offended without a passing consideration for the consequences. Now, he faces nearly a decade in prison. Our communities will be safer with him off our streets.”
DA Donnelly said that on September 17, 2024, at approximately 1:42 a.m., the defendant left his home on Van Nostrand Avenue in North Merrick.
Approximately 10 minutes later, the defendant and a co-defendant met up on Warren Street and both got into a single car. They drove to 60 Charles Lindberg Boulevard where the NCDSS is located.
While his co-defendant acted as a lookout, the defendant placed one 20-pound propane tank and another 1-pound camping propane tank at the doors of the building with a torch on top of the tanks.
Surveillance video recovered from the scene showed Luca attempting to throw lit flares at the homemade device to ignite it. However, the device did not ignite.
The defendant and his co-defendant then left and drove back to East Meadow.
They abandoned the car they drove on Warren Street and entered the other car that was left on the street earlier that morning. The pair then drove back to Luca’s house.
The device was discovered later that morning by the NCDSS Director of Investigations who immediately alerted police.
The Nassau County Police Department’s Arson and Bomb Squad, the Uniondale Fire Department, and the Nassau County Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene, evacuated the building, and secured the homemade bomb.
As police continued to investigate the incident, they discovered another 20-pound propane tank a short distance from the scene and the abandoned vehicle in East Meadow with additional road flares located inside of the car.
Luca and his co-defendant were arrested on October 3, 2024, by detectives of the Nassau County Police Department.
Luca also pleaded guilty today to placing an explosive device on his ex-wife’s car at her home in North Merrick and detonating it, shattering her windshield in February 2023 and causing damage to her vehicle on another occasion in January 2024.
Additionally, Luca pleaded guilty today to a residential mortgage fraud scheme and an identity theft scam, in which he stole property from a relative by forging loan paperwork and a deed. Once he fraudulently changed the home’s ownership, Luca obtained a $410,000 mortgage on the property. Both the forged loan and fraudulently obtained mortgage went into foreclosure due to nonpayment, leaving the relative with more than $600,000 in debt. Luca also opened American Express personal and business credit cards using the same relative’s personal information and ran up more than $200,000 in unpaid debt. Luca also pleaded guilty to another scam in which the defendant pretended to be a different relative and used that relative’s personal information and credit to turn on PSEG Long Island service at three properties in East Meadow including his own residence.
The attempted bombing of NCDSS is being prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Lee Genser of the Narcotics, Firearms and Gangs Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Nicholas Mauro. The financial prosecutions are being handled by Senior Investigative Counsel April Montgomery of the Major Financial Frauds Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Maureen McCormack. Both prosecutions are under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division Rick Whelan.
The remaining cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Julia Iacono of the County Court Trial Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Ali Ajamu and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Litigation Division Kevin Higgins. Luca is represented by Brian Griffin, Esq.