ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A nationwide arson spree targeting a major trucking company has landed a Michigan man in federal custody. Viorel Pricop, 64, of Allen Park, Michigan, has been indicted on nine counts of arson in New Mexico, adding to charges already filed against him in Arizona.
Federal prosecutors allege Pricop deliberately set fire to nine commercial trailers belonging to Swift Transportation, a Phoenix, Arizona-based trucking giant. The fires aren’t isolated to New Mexico; authorities claim Pricop is responsible for a staggering 25 fires across seven states – California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama – all targeting Swift Transportation equipment.
The indictment, handed down on December 20th by a federal grand jury in New Mexico, comes after an investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Phoenix Field Division, worked alongside U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez to build the case. Pricop is currently detained in the Central District of California, facing separate arson charges there.
On December 21st, a second indictment was secured in the District of Arizona, adding three more arson counts to the growing list of accusations against Pricop. The motive behind this systematic destruction remains unclear, though investigators are reportedly digging into potential disgruntled employee scenarios or other targeted attacks against Swift Transportation.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and Pricop is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, if convicted on these federal arson charges, Pricop faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years behind bars. Assistant United States Attorney Jack E. Burkhead is leading the prosecution for the District of New Mexico.
The ATF continues to investigate the full scope of Pricop’s alleged crimes, tracing the trail of fire across the American Southwest and beyond. The financial impact of the destroyed trailers is expected to run into the millions, and the case highlights the ongoing threat of targeted infrastructure attacks. Swift Transportation has not yet issued a public statement regarding the investigation.
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