Flushing man pleads guilty to firebombing Queens apartment

A man from Flushing pleaded guilty in federal court for firebombing a building in his neighborhood.  Photo via U.S. Eastern District Court of New York

By Ryan Schwach

A Queens man pleaded guilty this week in federal court to lighting a Flushing apartment building on fire in 2022.

Atahualpa Rodriguez, a 50-year-old man from Flushing, pleaded guilty in federal court to committing arson, and now faces a minimum of five years in prison.

One firefighter was injured fighting the blaze started by Rodriguez.

According to court filings, on Jan. 12, 2022, Rodriguez was arguing with a resident of the building, located on Parsons Boulevard.

At around 4:40 a.m. the resident awoke to the sound of breaking glass and heard a voice shout, “F—k you all.”

They walked out of the bedroom and saw the fire.

The fire caused approximately $1 million in damages and completely destroyed the apartment.

“Today, the defendant admitted that he deliberately set fire to an apartment building in

the pre-dawn darkness while many tenants slept, causing the destruction of one apartment unit,

damage to surrounding units and injuries to the brave first responders who battled the blaze,” said United States Attorney Breon Peace. “His actions showed complete disregard for human life and placed hundreds of people in grave danger over a personal dispute. Rodriguez will now face just punishment for his actions.”