Man sentenced in connection to West Valley City apartment fire
Oct 28, 2021, 3:21 PM | Updated: 4:06 pm
A fire at the Overlook Apartments in West Valley City left 8 units with severe damage. (KSL TV)
(KSL TV)
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal court judge has sentenced the man who admitted to starting a fire at the Overlook Point Apartments in West Valley City earlier this year.
Luis Fernando Bueso Romero, 23, will spend 60 months in jail for the February fire. The judge also ordered him to pay $885,335.95 in restitution and three years of supervised release. He could be deported to Honduras upon his release.
“Arson is a serious crime that endangers the lives of innocent victims living inside of the buildings as well as the safety of the firefighters who are responsible for responding to the fire,” said Acting United States Attorney Andrea T. Martinez. “Federal and local fire investigators are extremely skilled at uncovering the sources and persons responsible for these acts and our hope is that the five-year federal prison sentence handed down in this case will deter future arsons in our community.”
Police Arrest Man In Connection With West Valley City Apartment Fire
Court documents said Bueso-Romero admitted to starting the fire because he was angry after his girlfriend left him. She lived in an apartment at the complex.
Witnesses said told investigators they saw a man throw an object, possibly a Molotov cocktail, through an apartment window after arguing with a woman.
The court documents said Bueso-Romero admitted to using gasoline for the fire which engulfed eight apartments and forced several residents from their homes.
