Florida State Police announced on Sunday the arrest of an undocumented immigrant, Marcelino Gilen Hernandez, in connection with charges of arson and felony theft.
According to officials, Hernandez attempted to ignite two fires at a property located in Huaneta, Florida. The property’s owner reported that he managed to extinguish one fire with a garden hose after observing it burning underneath a mobile home on the site.
She mentioned to law enforcement that Hernandez confessed to starting both fires—one earlier in January and another just this past weekend. He claimed that he was instructed to do so by individuals from his “previous residence,” the owner communicated to the authorities.
During the police interrogation, Hernandez apparently repeated this admission.
After his arrest, Hernandez also stated that he had vandalized the Placita Mexico store in Huaneta by breaking several windows. He initially tried to break a window with a rock but wasn’t successful. Later, he said he was able to break the door window and, on another occasion, used a combination of a stone and a hammer.
Hernandez faces multiple charges: three counts of burglary, two counts of criminal mischief with damage valued at less than $1,000, and one count with damage exceeding $1,000. Additionally, he is charged with two counts of arson.
Each of these charges is heightened because Hernandez is in the country illegally.
According to Sheriff Grady Judd, “This suspect was in the country unlawfully and exploited the kindness of a woman who provided him shelter to commit a grave crime. He also inflicted $1,600 in damages on local businesses.” Judd highlighted that Hernandez had previously threatened a 74-year-old man with a knife in 2024, resulting in his arrest for aggravated assault. “He should have been deported then, and perhaps he wouldn’t have been here to terrorize others,” he added.
