WHITE PLAINS, NY – A Yonkers man has been sentenced to 12 years in state prison for his involvement in a 2021 arson case that endangered the lives of local residents. Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced the sentencing, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the act and its impact on the community.
Angel Rivera, 51, was found guilty of second-degree and third-degree arson following a two-week trial that concluded with a swift 30-minute jury deliberation on April 12. In addition to his prison term, Rivera will undergo five years of post-release supervision.
The arson incident occurred early on June 7, 2021, when Rivera reportedly ignited an object and threw it through an open window of a ground-floor apartment on Elm Street in Yonkers. The act was caught on surveillance footage. A good Samaritan was able to rescue a sleeping resident inside the apartment by kicking in the door, just moments before the unit was engulfed in flames. The fire rendered the apartment uninhabitable.
The Yonkers Police Department’s Major Case Squad used surveillance footage to identify Rivera as a suspect. He was arrested on June 9, 2021, just two blocks from the scene of the crime. During his arrest, Rivera made incriminating statements about his intentions to destroy the building.
DA Rocah praised the Yonkers Police Department for their thorough investigation and efforts in bringing Rivera to justice, underscoring the importance of community safety and the serious consequences of endangering others through criminal acts.