Long Beach Man Arrested on Serial Arson Charges
25-year-old Joshua Thomas has been arrested for violating Penal Code 451 PC California’s arson law in connection with a string of fires that he reportedly intentionally set to cars, homes, sheds and trash bins in the Long Beach area. Long Beach Police have allegedly connected Thomas with 18 fires. In two of the instances, the police are reporting that Thomas set fire to homes where people were inside sleeping. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
If convicted, Thomas faces a substantial amount of time in prison. Each instance of willful or malicious arson subjects him to up to nine years in prison and a potential “strike” on his record under California’s three strikes law.
An additional penalty for violating Penal Code 451 PC California’s arson law is that convicted defendants must register as an arson offender (much like a sex-offender). This means that, if convicted, Thomas would have to keep law enforcement up-to-date on his whereabouts…that is, assuming he is released from prison. If he fails to do register or maintain his registry, he subjects himself to additional charges as well.
Thomas’s defense attorney will most likely try to reduce at least some of the charges to “reckless burning” under Penal Code 452 PC. Reckless burning is only a misdemeanor charge, subjecting Thomas to a maximum one-year of county jail for each count.
