Queens DA employee arrested for plot to blow up Elmhurst migrant shelter
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An employee with the Queens district attorney’s office allegedly threatened to detonate an explosive device at an Elmhurst migrant shelter on 77th Street, pictured here. Screenshot via Google Maps
By Ryan Schwach
In a wild tirade to another person inside Queens Criminal Court, a now-former paralegal with the Queens district attorney’s office outlined his plan to use explosives on migrants living at a shelter next to his apartment.
Now, his former employer is prosecuting in the same courthouse he used to work in.
Derek Klever told an unidentified witness about his convoluted plan to use fireworks and a drone to set off bombs inside an Elmhurst migrant shelter. He was arrested and slapped with terrorism charges last week.
According to court documents obtained by the Eagle, Klever, who according to Linkedin, was a paralegal working as a trial preparation assistant in Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office, detailed a plot to use bombs on the migrant shelter across from his apartment – which he shares with his fiance and two young children.
“These goddamn migrants are having a party at eight in the morning,” Klever allegedly told the witness while in Queens Criminal Court on Queens Boulevard. “I’m going to f–ing blow them up, bro.”
He went on to tell the person that the migrants, who live at the Kamway Lodge, a hotel being used as a shelter, should “live in terror every day.”
The lodge is located on 77th Street in Elmhurst, directly across the street from Klever’s apartment and just a few blocks from the crowded heart of Jackson Heights and Roosevelt Avenue.
Court documents outline Klever telling the witness his entire plan, which included using fireworks, nails, gasoline and other materials to construct a bomb, which he wanted to drop on the hotel using a rented drone.
“I’m not trying to kill but injure, I need to teach them a lesson,” Klever reportedly said.
The paralegal went as far as successfully testing his homemade explosives, and said he planned to do more than “just one.”
He said he hid all the bomb-making materials as well as a BB gun in his young child’s room.
“I know I shouldn’t be doing this,” he allegedly said. “But it's for Queens County. This is a war. I wish I had a big enough one to blow them back to Venezuela.”
Klever reportedly concluded the conversation by telling the witness: “This needs to stay between us, you need to shut up about this.”
Court documents also claim Klever called the explosives “groceries” and told the witness not to use the word bomb, so as not to set off alarms with law enforcement.
“Don’t say bomb, bro. Say groceries or something else. Nothing too big because I don’t want to catch federal charges, but you know,” he allegedly said.
Last week, police were given consent to enter Klever’s 77th Street home, where they found the BB gun in the child’s bedroom and various fireworks. They also allegedly found a black substance wrapped in tin foil, a green wire and nail cartridges.
Klever was arraigned on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon, making a terrorist threat, attempted criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child.
Klever was remanded by Judge Julieta Lozano and his bail was set at $50,000.
His lawyer, Mineola based attorney Dennis Lemke, declined to comment.
A spokesperson for the Queens district attorney’s office confirmed to the Eagle Friday that Klever was terminated from his role with the DA, but declined to comment further.
He is due back in court on Oct. 4.
