Three Portland teenagers have admitted to their roles in a spate of arson attacks that haunted Mt. Tabor Park and the surrounding areas in the summer of 2022. Malik Hares, Samuel Perkins, and Wayne Chen, all 19, faced a series of charges in connection to the fires that unsettled the Northeast and Southeast Portland communities.
According to OregonLive, Perkins and Chen pled guilty to second-degree arson. The charge stemmed from a fire that caused property damage in Sullivan’s Gulch neighborhood. Perkins received a sentence of two years probation, and 160 hours of community service, following his plea on December 5, 2023. Matthew Steven, Perkins’ attorney, stated, "With the large number of hours (Perkins) has agreed to dedicate to our community through community service, he hopes to right at least a portion of the wrong that was done." Chen awaits a similar sentence of probation and community service, having pleaded guilty on Tuesday.
Hares entered a guilty plea on January 9 for three counts of arson, including fires set at Grace Lutheran Church and Mt. Tabor Park, with further details reported by Daily Dispatch. The prosecution has recommended three years probation, with either 20 days in jail or 180 hours of community service for Hares, who faces sentencing on February 9.
The fires, none of which resulted in injuries, prompted a concerted police response. After neighbors reported multiple incidents in the popular park, law enforcement managed to apprehend Hares, Perkins, and Chen in September 2022, KATU News reported. Initially, charges against Chen were not filed post-arrest; however, prosecutors revisited the cases against Hares and Perkins due to additional evidence against Chen, and revived proceedings which had previously lapsed.
