A man from Michigan was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison for setting fire to three semi‑truck trailers in Arizona.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona reports that Viorel Pricop, 67, was found guilty of three counts of arson of a vehicle or property in interstate commerce after an eight-day trial.
“This defendant left a nation-wide path of destruction that threatened lives, property and critical infrastructure,” U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said in a Monday announcement. “Thanks to the dedicated work of federal prosecutors and ATF agents, the DOJ brought him to justice.”
What did arson culprit from Michigan do in Arizona?
Prosecutors claim Pricop purposely set fire to three semi-truck trailers owned by Swift Transportation, a Phoenix-based trucking company. Two of the fires occurred in Willcox, and one in Holbrook.
These fires were part of a larger pattern, with Pricop setting fire to at least 16 other Swift trailers across many states, including California and Alabama, according to prosecutors.
Pricop was previously convicted in Michigan in 2018 for tax evasion and carrying stolen property. These charges stemmed from an inquiry into Swift.
Pricop served approximately 26 months in prison in that case. His supervised release ended in June 2019, before he began committing arsons in Arizona.
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