The man with a blowtorch who was arrested by citizens last week after allegedly trying to start fires in a Los Angeles neighborhood is an illegal immigrant, according to a report Sunday night.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin claimed that Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, the aforementioned accused arson suspect, is a Mexican national in the country illegally. Melugin shared the information in a post on X, stating that he received the information from insider sources at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“NEW: Per ICE sources, the man seen in a viral video being subdued by residents & arrested by police w/ a blowtorch near the #KennethFire in West Hills is an illegal alien from Mexico named Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva,” Melugin posted. “He is in custody on a probation violation & has NOT been charged w/ arson.”
Sierra-Leyva was initially taken into custody by law enforcement officials after a call to the Los Angeles Police Department notifying them that a man was purposely trying to start a fire in Woodland Hills, approximately five miles from where the Kenneth Fire began, the Los Angeles Times reported. Witnesses pursued the man, eventually confronting him and holding him down while waiting for police to arrive to detain him. He was allegedly riding on a bicycle and carrying a blowtorch while trying to light old Christmas trees and trash cans on fire.
“We were sitting in the backyard and suddenly, we hear a car come to a screeching halt, and the guy is running out saying, ‘Stop! Drop what you’re holding! Neighbors, he’s trying to start a fire! Call 911!’” witness Renata Grinshpun told KTLA.
“He was very, like, ‘I can’t stop. I can’t stop. I’m not putting this down. I’m doing this,’” said another witness. “And very focused on moving forward with the blow torch. And we’re like, ‘We can’t be doing that right now.’”
After investigating and questioning the suspect, LAPD Divisional Chief Dominic Choi decided not to charge him with arson.
“After the interview and additional investigative steps, looking at some additional evidence that was present, they made the determination that there was not enough probable cause to arrest this person on arson or suspicion of arson,” said Choi.
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He was, however, charged with a felony probation violation, KTLA reported. Melugin mentioned this in his X post on Sunday night, along with additional updates on the case.
“ICE will place a detainer request on him with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, but they do not expect it to be honored due to California’s Sanctuary State law,” he said. “I’m told Sierra-Leyva will have a court appearance tomorrow. Again – he has not been charged w/ arson and is in custody only on a probation violation at the moment, as multiple agencies have been interviewing him.”
