A Florida man has been formally charged by a federal grand jury for allegedly igniting the catastrophic Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is now facing three additional charges, including two felonies, related to the inferno that destroyed approximately 7,000 structures and incurred damages estimated at $150 billion, per the Department of Justice.
The indictment comprises three charges, which include arson endangering property used in interstate commerce, destruction of property through fire, and a charge related to setting timber ablaze, according to a press release from the DOJ.
Rinderknecht is alleged to have intentionally ignited a brush fire on the hills above Los Angeles on New Year’s Day, which firefighters initially managed to suppress.
However, the fire smoldered for several days before reigniting and culminating in the Palisades Fire on January 7.
Rinderknecht is expected to make an appearance in federal court in Los Angeles within a few weeks.
If found guilty of the charges against him, he could face a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 45 years in federal custody.
