A Point Loma woman was remanded to prison in April after a federal jury convicted her of setting fire to a business to cover up the disappearance of approximately $700,000 while she was the business’s bookkeeper.
Carey Alice Hernandez, 46, had been free on a $30,000 bond, but U.S. District Court Judge Jinsook Ohta ordered her into the Metropolitan Correctional Center after she was convicted.
Hernandez will be sentenced on July 12 and could face 30 years in federal prison.
She was convicted of malicious destruction of a building by arson, witness tampering, and making false statements in the March 28, 2019 fire at the Off Road Warehouse at 7915 Balboa Ave. at 1:28 a.m., according to court records.
“I will go out with a bang!” wrote Hernandez in an email days before the fire, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office records.
The Off Road Warehouse, known as ORW, was owned by Randy Weisser, and the business sold and installed automotive parts and gear for off-roading. Weisser decided to sell the business and began an audit of ORW.
The audit showed that $744,621 was missing from January 2015 to March 2019, which reflected when Hernandez was bookkeeper and controller, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Surveillance video cameras showed an SUV with dark wheel rims near Hernandez’s home in Point Loma and also the same vehicle near the scene of the fire. Hernandez denied the vehicle was hers, and she told ORW employees she had a similar vehicle with light wheel rims.
“While it is extremely fortunate that no one was physically hurt in this blaze, it was a devastating loss for the company,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath in a statement.
“This defendant used arson, tampering with witnesses, and deceit to put the community in danger, but the jury held her accountable,” said McGrath.
“Arson crimes are not victimless fires,” said Chris Bombardiere, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Fire special agent in charge in Los Angeles in a statement.
“This criminal act devastated a business and the livelihood of several individuals and families,” said Bombardiere. “ATF stands willing and ready to partner with federal, state, and local public safety officials to keep our communities free from dangerous arsonists.”
The jury deliberated about eight hours over two days before convicting Hernandez of all counts. Her attorney could not be reached for comment.
