A 45-year-old man accused of setting fires in the Memorial Park area in Houston was arrested on arson charges this week, the Houston Fire Department announced.
Dustin Schlain is accused in court documents of igniting combustibles inside of the park at 4501 Woodway Dr. near Interstate 610, with the intent to destroy vegetation. He is also accused of using a hand-held lighter to burn vegetation in front of a building on Knox Street, just east of Memorial Park.
More than a dozen fires have been ignited in the park in the past 10 months, according to a news release from the Houston Fire Department.
The fires have remained small, but pose a significant risk to the park.
In a statement, Houston Fire Department Chief Thomas Muñoz said the arrest demonstrates exceptional work by the fire department’s arson investigators.
“We remain dedicated to not only protecting Houstonians but also our city’s cherished spaces,” he said.
The department’s arson bureau is still seeking additional information about other people responsible for starting fires in the park. The punishment for arson ranges up to a $10,000 fine with a maximum sentencing of 99 years in prison, according to the fire department.
“I want to thank the HFD Arson Bureau for their swift response in identifying someone who cause harm to one of our city’s park and for their continued service in keeping Houstonians safe each and every day,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in a statement.
Court documents listed a combined $100,000 bond set for Schlain. Under bond conditions, he would not be allowed to possess firearms or flammable accelerants. On Thursday, he signed “ANGEL” in the signature line of his bond conditions.
He is set to appear in court Friday.
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