Wednesday, 19 Mar 2025

Man arrested near LA fires with possible blowtorch is an illegal immigrant: ICE sources

A man seen wielding an alleged blowtorch near the Los Angeles fires, and who was eventually arrested by police, is an illegal immigrant from Mexico, ICE sources say.


Man arrested near LA fires with possible blowtorch is an illegal immigrant: ICE sources
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Los Angeles police took the man into custody after a group of local residents grabbed him near the Kenneth Fire, allegedly carrying a blowtorch, according to video from Fox 11 Los Angeles.

He is shown holding a torch head and a yellow fuel tank, before being tackled to the ground by at least five residents.

ICE sources tell Fox that he is a Mexican illegal immigrant named Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva. He is in custody due to a probation violation and has not been charged with arson. 

A Los Angeles law enforcement source had previously told Fox News Digital that it's not uncommon to find people have intentionally set wildfires.

"When you have wind conditions like this, it brings out the serial arsonists, who are sickos," the source said. There is no confirmed connection between arson and any of the fires as of last week.

Some states have said they will cooperate with the operation, while other state and local officials say they will not, and could even actively resist those efforts.

Fox News' Michael Ruiz and Matt Finn contributed to this report.

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