Sheriff Refutes Breitbart Report Linking Wine Country Fires To Illegal Immigrant

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SANTA ROSA (CBS13) - A right-wing news agency article claiming that an illegal immigrant was arrested in connection with the deadly wine country fires is being called "false and misleading."

At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Sonoma County Sheriff Robert Giordano directly addressed the false claim.

"There is no indication he is related to these fires at all," Sheriff Giordano said. "Cal Fire is doing an investigation to see how these fires started. We don't even know if it's arson."

CBS13 first brought the headline - published in Breitbart - to the attention of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department that reads, in part:

The suspect "was arrested Sunday on suspicion of arson in wine country fires that have killed at least 40 residents."

The headline featured in Breitbart on Oct. 17.

While it's true that a homeless illegal immigrant was arrested for starting a small fire at a park in Sonoma on Sunday, Sheriff Giordano says the suspect is in no way connected to the larger, deadly wildfires.

The article also states the suspect was placed on hold by ICE because he's in the country illegally, which is true. But Giordano says that's standard procedure.