Following the lead of the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office earlier this week, federal prosecutors Friday levied charges at the man accused of starting the Bouquet Fire, which could land him up to 20 years in federal prison, according to a Department of Justice statement Friday.
The complaint alleges that Rodney Ameile Saba, 70, admitted to law enforcement that he threw a cigarette from his porch onto fireworks, causing them to explode and start the fire, according to the DOJ statement. Investigators reported that they later recovered a lighter, cigarettes, shotgun ammunition and an aerial mortar firework from Saba’s cabin.
The federal allegation also makes reference to several previous felony convictions for Saba, a Bouquet Canyon Road resident.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed three felony charges Tuesday against Saba earlier this week.
The brush fire, which started Saturday, has burned 1,048 acres as of the last update available from Angeles National Forest officials, who are in command of the incident. While forward progress of the fire has been halted, firefighters continue to mop up and squelch hot spots.
Court records obtained by The Signal indicate the Arson and Explosives Detail of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, working with federal forest officials, identified a suspect within hours of the fire starting.
Saba was charged with three felonies Tuesday in connection with the allegations: arson of a structure or forest; possession of a destructive device at a private residence; and possession of ammunition, with a special allegation that, as a convict, he was not allowed to possess ammunition.
He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges at his preliminary arraignment Tuesday. He remains in custody in lieu of more than $1.1 million bail.
Investigative records obtained by The Signal indicate an officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service spotted a red sedan heading in his direction on Bouquet Canyon Road while he was investigating the source of the fire.
The officer, who indicated to LASD detectives that he recognized Saba, “from several interactions with (Saba) throughout the course of his law enforcement duties,” asked Saba if he knew how the fire started, according to a search-warrant request seeking to investigate Saba’s property on Bouquet Canyon Road.
Saba told the officer that he was on his porch smoking a cigarette and tossed the lit cigarette, which hit a fuse and caused a firework to blow up, which started the blaze, per the detective’s sworn statement.
Saba informed the officer that the firework was equivalent to a “quarter-stick of dynamite,” and that he also had “skyrockets,” which he had purchased in Arizona.
Another forest service investigator received information from a neighbor, who said Saba told him was going to be outside shooting a shotgun in case there were any loud noises.
The neighbor said he then heard a loud explosion right before the start of the fire, according to the LASD detective’s report.
The fire reportedly broke out at 2:19 p.m. and custody records indicated Saba was arrested at 7 p.m. The fire is still an active scene, according to investigators. Records from CalFire, which is not the handling agency, indicated the fire is still an active scene with containment currently at 83%.
The D.A.’s Office indicated Friday via email that the U.S. Department of Forestry presented the case to county prosecutors for filing consideration. Saba’s criminal complaint lists prior convictions for vehicle theft, mayhem, destruction of property, criminal threats and receiving stolen property.
An Angeles National Forest official did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
A Sheriff’s Department official indicated Friday on background that because the fire was in forest territory, the case was officially an Angeles National Forest Service handle, but LASD investigators assisted.
LASD detectives also ran Saba’s record and found he had six prior felony convictions, which make it illegal for him to possess any weapons or ammunition.
After verifying Saba’s address in the 34400 block of Bouquet Canyon Road, where the fire started, a search warrant was obtained and served the following day, after Saba was taken into LASD custody.
LASD detectives seized an aerial mortar, which is considered illegal, and a box of shotgun shells, according to the return from the search warrant.
Saba is due back in court Nov. 2 for a preliminary hearing setting for the charges in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra Sloan Kelly of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section and Brenda N. Galván of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting the case.
