Federal prosecutors have formally charged an 18-year-old Harlem man with arson, just days after the FBI matched his face to a video of him being stopped by NYPD officers last month. Hiram Carrero now faces up to 40 years in prison for setting a homeless subway rider ablaze at Penn Station on Monday.
According to federal prosecutors, Carrero appeared to scope out the train before carrying out the attack. Surveillance footage shows him entering and exiting the car multiple times, before lighting paper on fire that he had plucked from inside the train. The victim, who was sleeping in the car, was rushed to hospital with severe leg injuries.
The case took a dramatic turn after investigators matched Carrero's face to body camera footage from his October traffic stop. A bicycle ticket had been issued to Carrero for running a red light on his bike, and prosecutors say that the same distinctive mustache, hat, and backpack were all present in both videos.
Carrero was initially released on $100,000 bond by a judge, but federal prosecutors appealed this decision. After a hearing, he was remanded into federal detention ahead of trial. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described Carrero's actions as "horrific" and called for the maximum sentence.
The case is one of several recent incidents in which homeless individuals have been targeted by violent attacks on public transportation. In January, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam was killed after being set on fire on an F train in Brooklyn. The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, faces murder and arson charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Carrero's prior record shows no arrests, but his attorney information is currently unavailable.
According to federal prosecutors, Carrero appeared to scope out the train before carrying out the attack. Surveillance footage shows him entering and exiting the car multiple times, before lighting paper on fire that he had plucked from inside the train. The victim, who was sleeping in the car, was rushed to hospital with severe leg injuries.
The case took a dramatic turn after investigators matched Carrero's face to body camera footage from his October traffic stop. A bicycle ticket had been issued to Carrero for running a red light on his bike, and prosecutors say that the same distinctive mustache, hat, and backpack were all present in both videos.
Carrero was initially released on $100,000 bond by a judge, but federal prosecutors appealed this decision. After a hearing, he was remanded into federal detention ahead of trial. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described Carrero's actions as "horrific" and called for the maximum sentence.
The case is one of several recent incidents in which homeless individuals have been targeted by violent attacks on public transportation. In January, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam was killed after being set on fire on an F train in Brooklyn. The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, faces murder and arson charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Carrero's prior record shows no arrests, but his attorney information is currently unavailable.
This case is a major wake-up call for our society 
. We can't keep ignoring the struggles of homeless individuals and letting them become victims of violence on our public transportation system 
. The fact that Carrero seemed to scope out his target before setting him ablaze is chilling 
. It's like he was calculating every move, taking advantage of someone who's already vulnerable 
.
. We know so little about Carrero's background, and yet we're already talking about his sentence like it's a given 
. The fact that he was released on a relatively low bond before this latest incident raises questions about whether we're taking adequate measures to prevent such crimes from happening in the first place 
.
. This case is a stark reminder that we have a long way to go before we can say we're truly caring for each other 
.
... 18 years old setting someone on fire, that's just crazy 
... all these cases of homeless people being targeted on public transportation is really disturbing, hope we can find more ways to help them rather than hurt each other 
... anyway, 40 years in prison seems pretty harsh, but I guess justice has to be served 
this story just breaks my heart... poor guy was homeless and set himself up to get caught 
meanwhile, people are talking about his face being matched from like a year ago lol... i feel bad for the victim though, 40 yrs in prison is way too harsh 
but honestly, u cant just torch someone on public transport and expect it to be okay 
we need more support systems for homeless ppl, thats for sure 
. And the fact that he was scoping out the train beforehand, waiting for the perfect moment to strike... it's like he was planning this for a long time 
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. But at the same time, you can't just let him walk free either - that would be sending the wrong message 
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. It's a good reminder that technology is always one step ahead of us, even when we think we're being careful 
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. 
. The fact that Carrero was released on bail despite this evidence, only to have it overturned and him remanded into detention, underscores the need for consistency in the justice system 
. It's heart-wrenching to think about individuals who have lost their lives due to a lack of access to basic necessities like shelter and healthcare