A Queens man has been indicted on state and federal charges for a fire-bombing spree that targeted an Islamic mosque, a Hindu temple, a convenience store and three homes over several hours on New Year’s Day, authorities announced today.
Accused fire-bug, Ray Lazier Lengend, also known as Suraj Poonai, already was in jail after being arrested within days for all but one of those incidents, which spanned Queens and Long Island.
Authorities revealed today for the first time that in addition to four structures in Queens and one in Elmont, LI, Lengend had also allegedly firebombed another home in Queens that same night.
Lengend, 40, a former tow-truck driver who lives in Queens Village, faces a maximum sentence of 25-years-to-life if convicted of the state charges contained in an indictment issued in Queens Supreme Court.
He faces a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted under the additional indictment in Brooklyn federal court, which accuses him of hate crimes.