When last we heard from the flame thrower-wielding bicyclist tackled by men who claimed to have seen him setting fires near the L.A.-area Kenneth Fire, he was trussed and held down until LAPD could take him into custody.
Now, California is being forced to make a choice after this incident. Is it a state full of people sick and tired of abject lawlessness or is it a sanctuary state that coddles people illegally in the United States?
BREAKING: The man who was arrested by police with a blowtorch near the Kenneth Fire in West Hills, California, has been identified as, Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, and is an illegal alien.
— America (@america) January 13, 2025
pic.twitter.com/31DPWnyIKJ https://t.co/TyuD1tquvw
Ask the five men who held down the man they saw setting fires and they'll tell you which side they're on.
Eventually, however, instead of being held on possible arson charges, the man was held on a probation violation charge. Law enforcement officials said the multiple witnesses couldn't provide enough evidence to hold the man on arson charges. However, they did discover that the man, identified as Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, could be held on probation violations because he was obviously in the justice system records.
And you know exactly how this plot has thickened.
According to Fox News's Bill Melugin, Blow Torch Juan is an illegal alien from Mexico. California is apparently importing illegal aliens to commit the crimes Americans aren't doing.
Per ICE sources, the man seen in a viral video being subdued by residents & arrested by police w/ a blowtorch near the #KennethFire in West Hills is an illegal alien from Mexico named Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva.
He is in custody on a probation violation & has NOT been charged w/ arson.
And, no doubt, you've predicted where this story is going. ICE has put a detainer on Blow Torch Juan, but it's unclear at this point if the precious suspect, who already has an L.A. rap sheet, will be turned over to those mean deporters.
An illegal alien ON A PROBATION VIOLATION.
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) January 13, 2025
What if, and hear me out on this, we DEPORT illegal aliens instead of releasing them on probation?
The New York Post reported that the justice system is still grinding through the details of the case.
Detectives are still investigating it as possible arson, but LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said Friday that there was not immediately enough evidence for that charge.
ICE placed a detainer request on him three days ago, but the federal agency does not expect it to be honored due to California’s sanctuary state law, sources said.
The X.com user "Brick Suit" asks an excellent question. I'll paraphrase: How in the world is a guy, illegally in the country, allowed to hang around long enough to establish an American rap sheet?
Here's Melugin again:
I'm told ICE will place a detainer request on him with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, but they do not expect it to be honored due to California's Sanctuary State law. I'm told Sierra-Leyva will have a court appearance tomorrow. Again - he has not been charged w/ arson and is in custody only on a probation violation at the moment, as multiple agencies have been interviewing him.
Even if Blow Torch Juan is completely innocent of arson charges, Californians have a big decision to make: What's more important, citizen safety or protecting illegal aliens?
The Babylon Bee gets the last take on California's choice:
California Police Arrest Arsonist For Using Gas Blowtorch Instead Of Electric Blowtorch https://t.co/zaAJYrTv8d pic.twitter.com/2kBCK5th33
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) January 13, 2025
Join the conversation as a VIP Member