By Nicholas Rizzi, Ben Fractenberg and Murray Weiss
STAPLETON — The man who planted three crude explosive devices around Staten Island in recent weeks tried to pin blame for the bombs on a man he thought was replacing him as a young woman's father figure, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
Omar Duran, 54, who lived in the same Graniteville home with a 32-year-old woman and her father, saw himself as her mentor, the commissioner said.
When her boyfriend proposed to her, Duran became jealous and tried to pin blame for the makeshift bombs on him to break up the engagement, Kelly said.
"The woman has a boyfriend who she then intends to marry and we believe the father figure, if you will, was jealous of that and he is the person who distributed these bombs with… the intended husband's name on it," Kelly said.
But sources say it was the relationship Duran had with the woman's 10-year-old daughter that he was actually trying to protect.
Kelly said Duran borrowed the father's car to plant the devices. The car was spotted at each crime scene, he said.
Duran wrote the fiancé's name and his Post Avenue address on two of the bombs, and made several anonymous calls to Homeland Security blaming him for the bombs, Assistant District Attorney, Biju Koshy, said at Duran's arraignment on Thursday.
The couple was married Saturday, the same day a third bomb was found in Grymes Hill near St. John's University. At his arraignment, where Duran pleaded not guilty, Justice Charles Troia set bail at $500,000 and issued an order of protection for the husband, daughter and father.
Duran's fingerprints were found on two of the devices and he confessed to planting the bombs, which he said were intended as a vendetta against the marriage, Koshy said. Calls to immigration officials regarding the boyfriend were traced back to Duran's phone, sources said.
Neighbors said they thought Duran was part of the victim's family, and considered him a nice guy.
"I thought he was related to them," said Latricia Lopez, 50, who lives on the block. "He seemed like a nice man, but now I know better."
Duran was arrested on Wednesday, hours after DNAinfo New York reported the NYPD created a special task force of two dozen cops to investigate the makeshift bombs.
The first device was discovered on Sept. 2, near Barrett and Decker avenues, where Duran left a imitation bomb that was inoperable, according to court records.
The next one was found on Sept. 12, in a knapsack with a propane tank, an empty aerosol can, gasoline, a butane lighter, which was ignitable and considered to be an operated explosive device, according to the complaint.
The third bomb was found Sept. 14 — the day the couple was married — and was also deemed to be operable, records show.
Kelly said the devices were crude and had no way of detonating.
"They were very, very crude," he said. "There really was no detonation device."
Duran was charged with placing a false bomb, reckless endangerment and two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon in the first and third degree, according to the complaint.
He's due back in court on Sept. 24.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.