Prosecutor wants teen fire suspect tried as adult

Timothy Pratt and Jace Radke

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003 | 11:17 a.m.

The 17-year-old Henderson boy arrested Tuesday in connection with setting a devastating fire at the unoccupied Firenze apartment complex should be tried as an adult, the prosecutor handling the case said this morning.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael O'Callaghan said at a hearing in Clark County Juvenile Court that he will ask that the boy be certified as an adult at a hearing Dec. 17.

If that happens, the boy could face 15 years in prison and a fine of $15,000 for each of the nine counts of first-degree arson. There are nine counts related to the fire because in addition to burning much of the the Firenze complex to the ground, the blaze scorched an eight triplexes nearby.

The Sept. 4 fire destroyed 349 apartments that were unoccupied and still under construction near Russell Road and Boulder Highway, leaving at least $10 million in damage. Authorities said it was one of the biggest arson fires in county history.

O'Callaghan asked juvenile hearing master Stephen Compan to keep the boy behind bars "because of the seriousness of these charges and the devastation that took place."

Compan agreed, calling the teen "a threat to the community."

County Fire Chief Earl Greene on Tuesday announced that there had been an arrest in the case. He said he conducted the press conference to "put the rumors to rest -- there are no terrorists out there, (there is) no serial arsonist." At the same time, however, he said he could not release details about the teen's alleged motives or even how the fire at Firenze apartments was set.

He said the investigation into the fire was ongoing, but that there was "probable cause and excellent evidence" connecting the teen to the crime -- including videotape and eyewitnesses.

O'Callaghan said at the hearing that the teen has set at least one fire in the past. He allegedly lit some papers on a bulletin board on fire at a school and then knocked the papers onto a wrestling mat, causing it to scorch.

The Firenze case involves "a big offense by a troubled kid who screwed up, and it got way out of control," O'Callaghan said Tuesday.

Keith Heinzerling, resident agent in charge of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said Tuesday's arrest resulted from a tip by Henderson Police officers investigating an unrelated crime.

"That was really a fortunate break," Heinzerling said. He declined to release details about the crime or the tip.

He said local and federal agencies decided to prosecute the case out of the district attorney's office after the arrest in part because that route is easier than having a federal agency prosecute. A federal agency would have to submit the case to the attorney general's office in Washington first, he said.

Jim Hernquist, president of Ovation Development, owner of the Firenze apartments, said he was "grateful that (authorities) ... have brought closure to this tragic event," and that the apartments would be rebuilt and ready to be occupied in January.

The developer also said it was "disturbing to know that a juvenile would do such a terrible act and put so many people's lives at risk."