A Detroit-area man, Viorel Pricop, 66, was convicted last week of arson, specifically targeting semi-truck trailers in interstate commerce, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona. The fires set by Pricop included three trailers of Swift Transportation, a Phoenix-based trucking company. The malicious acts took place in Arizona, where parked vehicles in Willcox and Holbrook were found engulfed in flames close to local truck stops.
The conviction comes after an 8-day trial where the jury was presented with evidence against Pricop. Diving through layers of cellular data, investigators painted a picture showing a device, used for navigation and belonging to Pricop, connected to cell towers near the arson sites. Found guilty of three counts, Pricop already faces a previous conviction for setting fires along major interstate routes, from fires in California to Alabama, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona. As revealed in the investigation, Pricop seemed to have orchestrated at least 16 incidents.
Justice will take its next turn at the sentencing hearing on November 13, where United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker will decide Pricop’s fate. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each count—a stark break from the life he once knew outside prison walls. The case drew on the expertise of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), including certified fire investigators and special agents from the National Cellular Analytics Program. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona carried the prosecution forward.
.jpg){kind=link}