Tara K. McGrath, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California
Carey Alice Hernandez has been sentenced to 70 months in prison for setting fire to Off Road Warehouse, a local business, in an attempt to hide the disappearance of over $700,000. The sentencing took place in federal court in San Diego.
Hernandez was found guilty by jurors in April 2024 after a four-day trial. She faced charges of malicious destruction of a building by means of fire, witness tampering, and making false statements.
The case began when an audit revealed that $744,621 had gone missing from Off Road Warehouse between January 2015 and March 2019 while Hernandez was responsible for the company's finances. The jury concluded that on March 28, 2019, she set the fire that destroyed the building.
Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden commented on the case stating, "This defendant intentionally set a dangerous inferno in what appears to have been an attempt to conceal a massive theft. And then she leaned on her minor daughter to try and cover up her crimes." He added that although no one was physically hurt, accountability was necessary due to the significant loss and danger caused by the fire.
During the hearing, U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta described Hernandez's actions as "wanton, deliberate and destructive" and emphasized that it was "a very dangerous crime" putting firefighters at risk. The crime's severity increased as Hernandez involved her daughter in covering up her actions.
Evidence presented during the trial included surveillance footage showing Hernandez driving near both her home and the fire scene. She later misled federal agents about details concerning her vehicle's rims, which contributed to her convictions for witness tampering and false statements.
The investigation was conducted by ATF’s National Response Team (NRT) alongside San Diego’s Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST). Acting ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jose Medina remarked on arson crimes: “These criminal acts destroy lives, property, and businesses...ATF remains steadfast in its mission to bring arsonists to justice.”
A restitution hearing is scheduled for March 14, 2025. The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Brehm and Carl Brooker.
