An 18-year-old high school senior has been ordered detained after being charged wiht arson following an attack where a New York City subway passenger was set on fire. Kevin Carrero was arraigned in Manhattan federal court Monday adn is accused of intentionally igniting a person on a northbound train in the Bronx on Friday.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns about safety in the cityS subway system, which serves millions of daily commuters. Authorities say Carrero faces a minimum of seven years in prison if convicted.The case is being prosecuted federally due to an inquiry by a federal task force.
US District Judge Valerie E. Caproni ordered Carrero detained, citing the “heinousness of the crime,” after prosecutors appealed a magistrate’s initial decision to release him to home confinement with his mother’s supervision, according to the Associated Press.
Carrero did not enter a plea during his arraignment. His mother was present but declined to comment to reporters, the AP reported. His lawyer, Jennifer Brown, acknowledged the “allegations are extremely serious,” but argued he is a “very young man with no (criminal record) and a mother willing to take him in.”
“The New York city subway is the heart of our City, with millions of people who live and work here relying on it every day,” US Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement. “New Yorkers have the right to be safe and feel safe when they ride the subway, and our Office is committed to that result.”
New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica S.Tisch added, “This attack is among the moast serious acts of violence a person can commit, and it has no place in our city-above or below ground.”
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 4.
