A Riviera Beach man is facing arson and trespassing charges after surveillance video allegedly captured him setting two separate fires on a business property he had already been warned to stay away from. Police say the footage was central to building the case against him.
According to WPEC, the man is from Riviera Beach and had previously been warned to stay off the business property before the fires were set. The surveillance video belonged to the business, and the suspect was publicly named, per the station's report.
The Trespass Warning
The trespass warning had already been issued before the incident, a detail that could prove significant to prosecutors.
Under Florida law, trespass after warning requires proof that a suspect received clear prior notice before entering or remaining on a property, whether through a verbal warning, written notice, or posted signage, according to Musca Law. The standard offense is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Separately, setting fire to a vehicle or unoccupied commercial structure is classified as second-degree arson under Florida law, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, per the Brancato Law Firm.
Part of a Broader Pattern in Riviera Beach
This case adds to a string of arson investigations that have unfolded in Riviera Beach over the past year and a half. In September 2025, police charged a suspect with second-degree arson and burglary after he admitted to setting fire to the Enforcers Motorcycle Club clubhouse on Avenue E, a case Hoodline covered in detail. In May 2026, Riviera Beach police and state fire investigators arrested a 38-year-old man on attempted murder and arson charges after surveillance footage linked him to a fire intentionally set in the carport of an occupied home, as reported by Palm Beach and Broward Mugshots LLC.
In June 2026, Riviera Beach police arrested a suspect connected to a Mother's Day residential arson fire, a case notable because a neighbor knocked on a window to wake and save the occupant before emergency crews arrived. And in July 2026, Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies arrested a West Palm Beach woman accused of using lighter fluid to ignite parked vehicles and a home on Breezy Lane, causing an estimated $40,000 in damage, according to Hoodline's prior reporting on that case.
Fire Marshal Involvement
In one Riviera Beach case, the Florida Department of Financial Services' Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives Investigations and Riviera Beach police conducted a joint investigation. It is not yet confirmed whether state fire marshal investigators assisted in this particular case.
The suspect in this case faces arson and trespassing charges, though formal court filings and arraignment records will determine the full scope of the allegations, including any damage estimates and motive. As with any pending case, the charges against him remain allegations that have not been proven in court.
