Federal law enforcement officers have arrested the illegal alien who was tackled and zip-tied by a group of onlookers during the California wildfires in a truly bizarre scene that was captured on video. Residents of the Woodland Hills area ran down and subdued Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva after witnessing him attempt to set debris on fire with what one individual described as a “flamethrower,” after wildfires ravaged California in January 2025.
Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Sierra-Leyva, 34, and charged him with a felony probation violation and suspicion of arson. According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Sierra-Leyva was also identified as a person of interest in the Kenneth fire, which ultimately scorched more than a thousand acres.
As soon as Sierra-Leyva was released by police, he was arrested again by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Security camera footage that went viral on social media showed Sierra-Leyva attempting to set garbage and old Christmas trees on fire with a blowtorch before neighbors in the area took matters into their own hands, chasing him down during the January 10, 2025 incident.
According to a report from the New York Post, local resident Renata Grinshpun, who lived in the area where the incident occurred, revealed that she was in her backyard when she heard a car come to a screeching halt and a man yelling, “Neighbors, he’s trying to start a fire! Call 911!” Grinshpun then said she saw Sierra-Leyva holding a “large propane tank or a flamethrower” trying to set debris on fire in the street.
Thankfully, neighbors mobilized quickly and swarmed around Sierra-Leyva as he tried to flee the scene on a bicycle. During his attempted getaway, a man can be heard yelling, “Put it down!” Grinshpun spoke with local media outlets, saying, “We really banded together as a group. A few gentlemen surrounded him and got him on his knees. They got some zip ties, a rope and we were able to do a citizens’ arrest.”
The footage of the incident shows LAPD officers arresting Sierra-Leyva. The major crimes squad was also called in because he was “a possible arson suspect,” however, no arson charges were immediately brought against him, according to officials within the LAPD. It’s not known whether Sierra-Leyva was ever charged with arson.
According to the Los Angeles District Attorney, there is no record of his case. Representatives for the Ventura County Sheriff and the Los Angeles County Sheriff didn’t respond to requests for additional information concerning Sierra-Leyva. The relevant federal authorities are now seeking to remove him from the United States for good.
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This is by far not Sierra-Leyva’s first tangle with the law. The man has a long criminal history and has spent over three years in U.S. prisons. ICE officials say his rap sheet includes aggravated assault, trespassing, amphetamine possession, damaging property, violation of a court order, and disturbing public peace. Records also show Sierra-Leyva has been convicted of several crimes in LA County, including assault with a deadly weapon in 2023.
Featured Image: screenshot from the embedded video