By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE – A New Orleans man accused of calling in a phony bomb threat at a Norco plant in January was arrested Thursday in St. Charles Parish.

Devin Bates, 34, of 1435 Alvar St., turned himself in to St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s deputies after finding out a warrant had been issued for his arrest in connection with the threat, said Sgt. Dwayne LaGrange, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office. Bates was booked into the Nelson Coleman Correctional Facility in Hahnville on communication of a false bomb threat. His bond was set at $10,000.

LaGrange said the fake bomb threat was called in to the switchboard at Rain CII in Norco on January 31. He said Bates told the switchboard operator that a vehicle entering the plant was armed with a bomb.

LaGrange said investigators believe the threat was directed to two contract workers at the plant employed by R&H Contractors. It is believed that Bates, who was not an employee at either company, had an ongoing feud with the two workers.

LaGrange said the threat was taken seriously and authorities worked to shut down and evacuate the Rain CII plant along with others nearby. St. Charles Parish fire officials and State Police conducted a search of the grounds, but no bomb was found and no one was injured.

LaGrange said investigators were able to trace the call back to Bates, who had left the state at some point after the threat was called in. LaGrange said when Bates returned to the area he turned himself in.