Arson Suspect in Deadly Los Angeles Palisades Fire Faces Two Additional Felony Charges

A man accused of intentionally setting one of Los Angeles’ most destructive wildfires was charged Wednesday with three counts of arson-related offenses, adding two new felony charges to an existing federal case against him.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is accused of deliberately igniting a blaze on January 1 that was quickly extinguished but continued smoldering beneath dense brush. A week later, driven by strong winds, the fire reignited—erupting into a massive inferno that killed 12 people and devastated the affluent coastal community of Pacific Palisades.

Rinderknecht was arrested earlier this month in Florida. Federal prosecutors initially charged him with one count of causing damage to property by fire, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

On Wednesday, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles returned a three-count indictment, expanding the charges to include arson involving property used in interstate commerce and setting fire to timber or forest land—both serious federal felonies.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, if convicted on all counts, Rinderknecht faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and up to 45 years behind bars.

The DOJ said Rinderknecht, who remains in custody without bond, is expected to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.

By issuing an indictment, prosecutors can proceed directly to trial without the need for a preliminary hearing to establish probable cause.

The Palisades Fire ranks among Los Angeles’ most catastrophic blazes, destroying nearly 6,000 structures and causing an estimated $150 billion in property losses. Around the same time, powerful winds sparked another major blaze, the Eaton Fire, roughly 35 miles (56 km) to the east, which decimated much of the Altadena community.

Prosecutors allege that on New Year’s Eve, Rinderknecht—working as an Uber driver—dropped off a passenger before driving to a remote hillside area near Pacific Palisades where he had previously lived. Court filings state that he listened to a rap song featuring images of fire in its music video, and shortly after midnight, set the blaze before fleeing the scene. He allegedly returned minutes later to watch as the flames spread and firefighters arrived.