Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 29-year-old Jonathan Jimenez of Buffalo has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Michael Pietruszka to the maximum of 15 years in jail for starting a damaging fire. 

In April, Jimenez pleaded guilty to Attempted Arson in the Second Degree. 

On March 11, 2017 at 1:00 a.m., Jimenez broke into an apartment at 115 Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo, which was part of a large apartment complex with 36 apartments. Jimenez started clothes on fire in two different closets.  The fire quickly grew and Jimenez fled from the building.  The residents of the other apartments were able to escape without being harmed, but the fire caused more than a million dollars in damage to the apartment building. 

DA Flynn commends the investigative work of Buffalo Fire Marshals James Otwell, Wil Tyler and Edwin Ortiz and ATF Special Agent Gerry O’Sullivan. 

Chief Paul J. Glascott of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau prosecuted the case.