Niskayuna man accused of terroristic threat at Rivers Casino

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

SCHENECTADY — A 70-year-old Niskayuna man was arrested this week at Rivers Casino after he allegedly threatened to blow up the facility. The man’s attorney called the arrest an overreaction.

Peter S. Glaser, of Baker Avenue, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of making a terroristic threat, a felony. He was arraigned and later released on $10,000 bond, officials said.

Glaser is accused of telling an employee at the casino at 5 a.m. that morning that “this place is awful! I hate everyone in this place and I’m going to come in here and bomb this building and I hope everyone dies!” according to court paperwork.

Police based the charge on statements from the employee, an admission from Glaser and officer statements, according to paperwork.

Glaser allegedly made the statement at a blackjack table, his attorney Steve Kouray said. He had been playing at the facility for eight to 10 hours when the incident allegedly happened and had lost money, Kouray said.

“When a guy’s losing at a blackjack table and gets upset, he might say something that any normal person wouldn’t take seriously at all,” Kouray said.

Kouray said his client has never been arrested and lost his wife about two years ago.

Newspaper records indicate Glaser made an unsuccessful bid for the Niskayuna school board in 2008, a year after he retired as principal at Gloversville Middle School. He has been Niskayuna resident for 44 years.

“I understand in today’s society, when you say what he supposedly said, ‘I want to blow this place up’ or something — that’s what they’re saying — you know, come on. This is a little overreactive,” Kouray said.

The prosecutor on the case could not be reached for comment Friday, but Kouray said he spoke with the prosecutor, gave him Glaser’s background and the defense attorney is hopeful the case will be resolved in City Court without pressing the felony in County Court.