The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A man from Louisiana was taken into custody after he allegedly became upset about his not receiving a COVID-19 stimulus check and set his mother’s shed on fire.
Avoyelles Parish resident Marvin Smith Jr. was reportedly in a foul mood last Friday when he learned he had not yet received his federal COVID-19 stimulus payment.
Around 1:00 pm, his allegedly hot-headed temperament reportedly caused the 51-year-old man to lash out at his mother about his frustrations.
After the alleged verbal altercation, Smith reportedly approached and entered his mother’s shed and ignited the structure before leaving the property and driving off on a recreational vehicle with a handful of people reportedly watching.
As stated by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, they investigated the situation and took the statements given by witnesses. The people they spoke with said they saw Smith in the yard and then noticed the flames engulfing the structure just after he left. The purported evidence against him caused them to believe Smith was the offender and that he had purposely started the fire.
The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office found Smith later on Friday, and they reported that the man was in possession of a knife when they initiated contact with him to detain him for the shed fire.
Smith was arrested and booked, and he is facing preliminary charges for suspicion of simple arson, in addition to several other charges not connected to this case.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.