Daniel Eduardo Rivera, Arson and Possession of Destructive Device, Texas 2024

A sinister plot of fire and destruction has been laid bare in McAllen, Texas, as a 36-year-old man stands accused of a brazen string of arsons targeting a single individual since 2022. Daniel Eduardo Rivera, a resident of McAllen, has been charged with arson and possession of a destructive device, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

According to the criminal complaint, Rivera has allegedly been on a mission to terrorize his victim, setting multiple fires to their residence and vehicles in a desperate bid for attention and control. The charges paint a chilling picture of a calculated and ruthless individual who has left a trail of destruction in his wake.

The first alleged arson occurred on November 2022 at approximately 2:03 a.m., when fire department officials responded to the victim’s residence due to a fire coming from a storage shed. Despite their best efforts to extinguish the flames, authorities later determined it to be incendiary in nature, according to the complaint. Just hours later, at approximately 1:10 p.m. that same day, the fire department was dispatched to the victim’s house for a second time, where they discovered the porch to be fully engulfed with fire seeping into the home.

The charges allege that Rivera had allegedly confronted his victim and threatened to kill his family at night and burn the victim’s house down. This heinous threat is a stark reminder of the terror and fear that Rivera has instilled in his victim.

The investigation, conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the McAllen Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire and Police Departments, has linked Rivera to a third incident in May 2024, where a vehicle fire was allegedly set using a Molotov cocktail. If convicted, Rivera faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the arson and a maximum of 10 years for possession of a destructive device.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Devin V. Walker are prosecuting the case, with Rivera expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 9:00 a.m. The people of McAllen can rest a little easier knowing that justice is on its way, and the perpetrator of these heinous crimes will be held accountable for his actions.

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