A man has been charged with setting someone on fire on Dec. 1 in Midtown Manhattan.
Hiram Carrero, 18, is charged with arson resulting in injury to another person, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
At approximately 3:03 a.m., Carrero entered a northbound train at the 34th Street – Penn Station subway stop. He picked up a piece of paper from the subway car (depicted in the screenshot below), lit it on fire near where the victim was sleeping, and jumped out of the car just as the doors were closing.
Carrero was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.
“As alleged, Hiram Carrero committed a horrific arson, starting a fire inside of a New York City subway car where a victim was sleeping,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As a result of that arson, the victim has suffered severe injuries. The New York City subway is the heart of our City, with millions of people who live and work here relying on it every day. New Yorkers have the right to be safe and feel safe when they ride the subway, and our Office is committed to that result.”
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Bryan DiGirolamo, Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department, Robert S. Tucker, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, Jessica S. Tisch, announced the filing of a Complaint charging Hiram Carrero
"The swift arrest in this case demonstrates what is possible when our agencies work as one,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “ATF New York Special Agents, the NYPD Detectives, and FDNY Fire Marshals brought their unique strengths to bear to identify and locate the suspect responsible for this violent act. The ATF NY Arson and Explosives Task Force is dedicated to protecting this city, and we will continue working with our partners to bring justice to those who threaten public safety. Our partnership with the Southern District of New York remains central to seeking justice.”
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Video from inside the train car shows that as the train traveled north towards the 42nd Street – Times Square subway stop, the fire flared up, engulfing the victim’s legs and a portion of the train car in flames. When the train arrived at 42nd Street – Times Square, the victim emerged, burning from the train (depicted in a screenshot below).
“This alleged outrageous and senseless attack received an immediate response from our elite joint task force,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker. “Our Fire Marshals worked side by side with our partners in the NYPD and ATF to identify and apprehend this suspect quickly. Their work has removed a dangerous individual from the streets of New York City and the FDNY will continue to work closely with our public safety partners to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Law enforcement partners on the platform responded to the victim immediately and extinguished the fire. The victim was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
“Hiram Carrero showed a complete disregard for human life when he allegedly set a sleeping New Yorker on fire inside a subway car,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This attack is among the most serious acts of violence a person can commit, and it has no place in our city—above or below ground. This case also reflects the exceptional work of the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, whose investigators worked closely with our federal partners to identify the individual responsible. And it comes at a time when the last five months have been the safest for subway riders in recorded history. I am grateful to our detectives, our responding officers, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their swift and coordinated work on this case.”
The maximum and minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and NYPD, and the FDNY Fire Marshals. Mr. Clayton also thanked the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in this case.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Molis is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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