Alleged serial arsonist in Nassau County released on bail then taken into ICE custody
FREEPORT, Long Island (WABC) -- An alleged serial arsonist has been taken into custody by ICE.
The Nassau County executive says police initially arrested the suspect, an undocumented immigrant, and charged him with setting 10 fires across Nassau County, but a judge released him without bail.
On Tuesday, Nassau County police picked him up to turn him over to immigration authorities.
It was in Freeport where police say the 27-year-old man set multiple vehicles on fire.
The aftermath of one of those car fires from over the weekend can still be seen on the ground. It's one of 10 cars the suspect allegedly set ablaze.
People in Freeport were extremely concerned that Elder Lopez Avalos allegedly set 10 cars in the neighborhood on fire.
"He will open up a gas cap, take a ripped tee shirt he carried with him, he would stuff it in like a wick, he would let it soak up the gas and set it on fire," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.
In exclusive video, one of the vehicles can be seen bursting into flames.
Ryder said Lopez Avalos' goal in some of these incidents was to have the fire spread.
"He would pick an area where there is a group of cars, so it's almost like he wanted it to happen to the next one, the one that was three nights ago it jumped to three cars," Ryder said.
According to court paperwork, the fires were all set in Freeport, at Municipal Lot 1, near the Woodward Children's Center, and on Brookside Avenue.
Lopez Avalos is being charged with six counts of arson.
"Arson is not a bail eligible crime, instead this defendant is released on non-monetary conditions," Nassau County District Anne Donnelly said.
"This individual was an illegal migrant in our community, setting places on fire, and because the judge had no choice, this individual would have been released to the community," Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.
The 27-year-old was released without bail.
A spokesperson for Governor Kathy Hochul's Office released a statement saying in part, "the governor's top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe which is why she held up two state budgets to strengthen our bail laws and give judges more discretion to keep repeat and dangerous offenders behind bars."
On Tuesday morning, Lopez Avalos was taken into custody by Nassau police. They say he was not in this country legally and turned him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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