Fire Commissioner Robert S. Tucker and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz Announce Significant Plea Deal for Perpetrator of July Arson Cases

November 19, 2024

Through the collaborative efforts of Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) Fire Marshals and the Queens District Attorney's Office, FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that a plea deal for significant prison time has been reached in multiple arson cases. Evan Person, 35, was arrested and pled guilty to second-degree arson in satisfaction of the full indictment for setting multiple vehicle fires and a house fire that left two people critically injured.

Through interviews, detailed scene examinations, and an extensive video canvas, FDNY Fire Marshals identified a person of interest and tracked him via video over several blocks, for several hours, and captured footage of him setting fire to two automobiles. Person was also identified as a person of interest in a house fire at 107-52 132 Street in Queens. Fire Marshals arrested Person and presented the case and investigation details to the Queens District Attorney's office. Person will be sentenced to 15 years in prison for these crimes.

"These reckless acts of arson endangered the lives of New Yorkers and FDNY members. Thanks to the excellent investigative case work of our Fire Marshals and our close collaboration with the Queens District Attorney's Office, this perpetrator will be behind bars for a long time," said Fire Commissioner Tucker. "I want to commend everyone involved for their efforts to ensure this dangerous individual does not harm any more New Yorkers."

"This defendant is a serial arsonist who set fire to vehicles and an occupied home over the course of less than an hour in South Ozone Park. The defendant's reckless actions seriously injured two of home's occupants and they were hospitalized for more than a month after the incident. We thank our partners at the FDNY Fire Marshals for their collaboration on this case," said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.

The Queens District Attorney indicted Person for:

1. Arson: 1st degree (2 counts)
2. Burglary: 1st degree
3. Arson: 2nd degree
4. Burglary 2nd degree
5. Arson 3rd degree (2 counts)
6. Reckless Endangerment 1st degree
7. Criminal Mischief 2nd degree (2 counts)
8. Criminal Mischief 4th degree
9. Petit Larceny
10. Endangering Welfare of a Child (2 counts)

Photo of perpetrator Evan Person can be found here.