A Nyack teenager has been sentenced to 2 to 6 years in state prison for an arson and theft spree that damaged cars, a business and several homes in the village last summer and frightened residents throughout the area.
Jonathan Barillas, 16, of 38 S. Franklin St., pleaded guilty to third-degree arson and has been sentenced by state Supreme Court Judge William A. Kelly in New City.
The incidents left Nyack residents asking why someone would go on a late-night arson spree in the village and sparked a house-to-house investigation by Orangetown police that led to the arrest of Barillas on Aug. 22, 2012.
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The arrest, indictment, guilty plea and sentencing came as a relief to Nyack volunteer firefighters, who remember the night last August when four cars were set on fire within a few blocks.
“When someone does something like that they graduate onto bigger things,” said Nyack Fire Department Chief James Weck. “Eventually, someone who does something like setting cars on fire doesn’t get the same thrill and they move up to someone’s business or residence.”
Weck said he thought the prison sentence was deserved for putting residents and volunteer firefighters at risk.
“Accidents happen. It’s one thing to help somone when there’s an accident,” Weck said. “But when you’re putting your neck out there and the fire was intentionally set, that takes it to a whole different level.”
Leading up to the fires, Orangetown police were investigating a series of thefts from parked cars in Nyack. Then came a fire at a business at 13 Catherine St., where the business was heavily damaged and a resident of an adjoining apartment had to be awakened and evacuated.
That fire was deemed suspicious. That fire was soon followed by a rash of fires within a few minutes of each other in the Summit Street area of Nyack.
Four cars were set on fire, damages the cars and damaging two homes as flames spread from the burning cars.
Barillas was accused of stealing items from the Catherine Street business. When he was arrested, Barillas was found with a credit card taken from the car of a Summit Street resident – whose home and care were heavily damaged by fire.
