Had grudge with contractors working at site, police say
A New Orleans man was arrested last week after authorities say he called in a bomb threat to a Norco plant in January.
Devin Bates, 34, of 1435 Alvar St., turned himself in to deputies on Thursday. He was charged with communication of a false bomb threat.
On Jan. 31, Bates called the switchboard at Rain CII and told the operator that a vehicle entering the building had a bomb in it, according to Sgt. Dwayne LaGrange, Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
LaGrange said that Bates had an ongoing feud with two men employed by R&H Contractors who were working at the plant.
“It looks like it was retribution and he was trying to get the men fired,” LaGrange said.
After the bomb threat, Rain CII and other plants nearby were forced to shut down and were evacuated so that the grounds could be searched. No bomb was found.
LaGrange said that authorities were able to trace the call to Bates, but he moved out of state after making the bomb threat. When Bates found out that police were searching for him, he turned himself in, LaGrange said.
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