Arleta Man Is Charged in 10 Arson Cases

Arson charges were filed Wednesday against an Arleta man believed to have set more than 350 fires that caused more than $4 million in damage, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office reported.

Victor Manuel Gomez, 38, was charged with 10 counts of arson in a series of fires in Los Angeles’ garment district between October and March, Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert E. Savitt said.

Savitt was unable to provide a motive.

Although authorities believe that Gomez set more than 350 fires, he was charged with only the 10 most recent arson cases, Savitt said. Those counts alone carry the maximum sentence of 12 years in prison for an arson conviction, Savitt said.

Gomez worked in the garment district as a textile dealer and had easy access to areas where the fires began, he said.

“Several owners set up video cameras and found this fellow on a number of photos immediately before the fires started,” Savitt said. “He was coming and going, and it wasn’t unusual to see him in the area.”

Police were able to identify Gomez after they distributed flyers with his picture in the garment district and found a shop owner who had taken pictures of Gomez when he found him stealing fabrics and identified him from the flyer, Savitt said.

Gomez is in custody on the burglary charge, Savitt said.

“We have a very substantial case against him,” Savitt said. “The same method was used in all of these fires.”