A man from Los Angeles, Steven Duenas, has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly plotting a violent act at a Jewish preschool, using Molotov cocktails. His mother has shared her thoughts on his troubling decline.
According to federal prosecutors, the 51-year-old Duenas was accused of making threats online against the Jewish community and was found with components intended for crafting Molotov cocktails. His arrest took place on October 2.
He reportedly had his sights set on a local Jewish preschool named Jems, with plans for a “mass incident,” as stated by the authorities.
On September 19, Duenas made a social media post showing what seemed like a Molotov cocktail beside a television displaying images of the burning World Trade Center.
His post included the message: “1st batch- Goy De Ley’ cocktail. Don’t simply watch the war, participate by enjoying a Goy De Let cocktail.”
The term “Goy” refers to a non-Jewish individual, while “de ley” translates to loyal or reliable, as per the legal complaint.
Later that day, he uploaded another post featuring a glass bottle, which stated, “Second cocktail of the night 271K max cocktail.”
A video on his account from the same day showed what appeared to be ingredients for a Molotov cocktail, accompanied by R.E.M.’s song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It.” The caption read: “It’s the end of Los Feliz as you know it, and I feel fine. I love my homies… The Houthis.”
Other posts attributed to Duenas included antisemitic sentiments like “Not enough synagogues have been burned down” and “I just acquired some Tomahawks from Facebook Marketplace, might bomb Jems later.”
Following his arrest, he appeared in court, visibly emotional and in shackles, a T-shirt and jeans on his frame, with tears streaming down his cheeks.
When the judge offered to pause the proceedings for him to collect himself, Duenas insisted he was ready to proceed.
After the bail hearing, he expressed affection towards his mother, Maria Duenas, who was in attendance and had been handcuffed during the FBI’s early morning raid at their shared home.
In an exclusive interview, Maria discussed her son’s life journey, mentioning that it has been turned upside down due to a divorce, his job loss at LA County, and struggles with medication and alcohol.
“He was always so sweet and smiling, went to a good school; I always made sure he dressed well and attended mass,” she recalled.
She described her son’s mental health struggles, stating, “He’s bipolar, schizophrenic, and really suffers from deep depression.”
According to her, these issues contributed to Duenas losing his job in social services, which in turn led to a reliance on prescription drugs.
After his arrest, Maria found “barrels of alcohol” and noted he was consuming excessive amounts of medication, describing his state of mind as “out of control.”
When asked if Duenas had any biases against Jewish individuals, she responded, “He was always respectful of others; that’s not how he was raised. We advocate for kindness and support.”
While sharing experiences with previous Jewish neighbors, she mentioned a dispute but emphasized that her son “never talked about it; it doesn’t fit with who he is.”
When confronted with the FBI’s findings of Molotov cocktails during the search, she became emotional, saying, “That’s the worst part. I can’t believe it.”
Maria clarified she isn’t making excuses, hoping instead for her son to receive appropriate help. “He is genuinely sorry, and I want him to find peace and recovery,” she expressed.
Duenas is scheduled to appear in court again on November 10.
