RIVERSIDE – A devastating fire ravaged a 2.5-acre area behind the Oasis Visitor Center in Joshua Tree National Park on Monday night, March 26, 2018, leaving destruction in its wake.
George William Graham, 26, of Twentynine Palms, was arrested and charged with unlawfully setting timber afire, a felony offense punishable by up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to the criminal complaint filed Wednesday afternoon, National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers apprehended Graham at the scene of the fire. He admitted to law enforcement officers that he started the fire, which consumed a number of historic trees and other National Park Service lands and natural resources.
Graham was known to both the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department and the National Park Service as a California arson parolee, with prior law-enforcement contacts with both California and federal authorities.
Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Graham, which charges him with unlawfully setting timber afire. Graham is detained in federal custody pending his next court appearance on April 11, 2018.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation is being conducted by the National Park Service, with assistance from the United States Bureau of Land Management, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, and the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam P. Schleifer of the General Crimes section.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
