Overview

• Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was indicted on destruction of property by fire, arson affecting interstate commerce, and timber set afire.
• Prosecutors say a New Year’s Day Lachman Fire smoldered underground and resurfaced on Jan. 7 as the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 and destroyed or damaged about 6,800 structures across roughly 23,400 acres.
• Investigators cite witness statements, video, cellphone geolocation placing him about 30 feet from the first blaze, environmental sensors, and digital forensics including ChatGPT activity and a recovered lighter.
• He has been in federal custody since his Oct. 7 arrest in Florida and is expected to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
• The indictment allows prosecutors to proceed without a preliminary hearing, expanding potential punishment from a prior maximum of 20 years to a range of five to 45 years if convicted.