Michigan man sentenced to 10 years federal prison for arson of commercial trucks
A Detroit-area man was sentenced in Arizona to 10 years in federal prison over fires that authorities say were intentionally set to commercial trucking company vehicles.
Viorel Pricop, 67, of Allen Park, was sentenced Jan. 29 in the case, the US. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona said. This was in response to a jury trial in August during which he was found guilty of three counts of arson of a vehicle or property in interstate commerce.
Pricop is accused of setting fire in Arizona to three semi-truck trailers that belonged to Swift Transportation of Phoenix, Ariz., incidents that authorities said were part of a series of arsons targeting the truck company in multiple states.
The investigation into the Arizona fires was led by the Albuquerque Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Phoenix Field Division
There were at least 16 other truck fires, believed to be related, reported in other states between October 2021 and September 2022, generally in an area along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40. Furthermore, the Arizona district attorney's office said Pricop was found guilty in 2024 in a federal court in California on six commercial truck arsons.
"This successful outcome was made possible through the exhaustive use of ATF resources, including our K-9 units, the Fire Research Laboratory, and the technical expertise of our Certified Fire Investigators who methodically linked these fires across the country," said Shawn Stallo, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Phoenix Field Division.