A man allegedly set fire to a gentlemen’s club in the Canoga Park neighborhood in west L.A. on March 5
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NEED TO KNOW
- A man described as a “serial arsonist” has been arrested and charged after allegedly starting three fires in Los Angeles
- One of the structures was a gentleman’s club in the Canoga Park neighborhood in west L.A.
- The suspect, Cyrus Farsaad, has been charged with three felony counts of arson and faces up to 14 years and four months in prison, per the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office
A man has been charged with multiple counts felony arson after allegedly setting three fires in Los Angeles, including one at a strip club.
Authorities arrested and charged Cyrus Farsaad, 48, in relation to the crimes, according to a March 20 news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Farsaad allegedly set fire to an electrical vault in a warehouse in the Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles on March 2, per the DA’s office. The fire self-extinguished, but Farsaad then allegedly returned to the same location on March 8 and set fire to the electrical vault again. That fire spread, though it caused no major damage or injuries.
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Then, on March 5, Farsaad allegedly set fire to a gentlemen’s club in the Canoga Park neighborhood in west Los Angeles.
The third fire caused “significant charring, heat and smoke damage to the structure,” per the release, and no injuries were reported.
Farsaad, who was described as a “serial arsonist” by the DA’s office, was ultimately charged with one felony count of arson of property and two felony counts of arson of structure.
He pleaded not guilty during an arraignment on March 19. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 7, according to the DA’s office.
If convicted, Farsaad faces up to 14 years and four months in prison.
Farsaad is being held in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown L.A., per Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department public booking records.
His bond is set at $200,000, per the records.
It is not immediately clear whether Farsaad has legal representation at this time.
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“Serial arsonists pose a grave threat to our communities. They threaten property, livelihoods and put lives at risk,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in the office’s release.
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“This conduct will not be tolerated,” he continued, adding that he commended the Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department “for their swift apprehension of the individual responsible for these incendiary crimes.”
Chief Thomas Raymond of the Los Angeles Fire Department said “serial arson is not a property crime,” adding, “It is a direct threat to civilian lives and to every firefighter we send in to stop it,” per the DA’s office release.
The LAPD and LAFD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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