ALLEN PARK, MI – Viorel Pricop, a 66-year-old resident of Allen Park, Michigan, has been convicted on six counts of arson following a jury trial. Pricop targeted semi-trailers belonging to Swift Transportation, causing fires across the Inland Empire and High Desert regions over a 10-month period. He has been detained in federal custody since October 2022.
The 16-day trial revealed Pricop’s malicious arson spree from December 2021 to September 2022, damaging six trailers of the Phoenix-based Swift Transportation. The fires, ignited mainly near the trailer tires, occurred in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties at locations adjacent to truck stops. Additional evidence indicated Pricop’s involvement in setting fires to at least 18 more Swift Transportation semi-trailers across various states between June 2020 and March 2022. Federal charges in connection with some of these incidents have also been filed against Pricop in New Mexico and Arizona.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized the destructive nature of Pricop’s actions, denouncing them as a reckless response to a previous opportunity for redemption. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Mexico State Fire Marshal praised the collaborative efforts that led to solving the case, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation in addressing arson crimes that span multiple states.