Attorney for Rochester man accused of having homemade bombs maintains client’s innocence

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester man who was raided by the FBI’s Terrorism Task Force last week was supposed to be in Rochester City Court Tuesday.

Vincenzo Cilino is facing two felony counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Investigators say he had two homemade bombs in his downtown apartment on Andrews Street. They say they recovered them last Thursday.

The building is mostly apartments, with two businesses on the first floor. One of them is BioTechnica – and Cilino is the CEO. He also lives in the apartment right next to it.

It was in that apartment where the FBI, and two other police agencies, say they found the homemade explosives.

The Rochester Police Department seized the bombs. They’re the ones pressing charges.

Cilino was arraigned in City Court on Friday morning.

News10NBC’s Hailie Higgins went to get the criminal complaint filed against Cilino.

If he was in custody, he would have had his preliminary hearing Tuesday. But at his arraignment on Friday at Rochester City Court, he was granted bail – despite the prosecution’s requests for denial.

Lorenzo Napolitano is representing Cilino. He said Tuesday’s hearing was irrelevant since his client is out of jail.

He also maintains his client’s innocence, saying:

“When people hear charges of this nature, it’s easy to jump to conclusions. However, I think when things settle down, I believe this might be much ado about nothing,” he said.

Napolitano says his client runs a legitimate business out of 214 Andrews. BioTechnica makes hydroponics growing equipment, using 3-D printers and other tech.

Cilino is expected back in court on May 3.