A federal grand jury has indicted a man accused of igniting the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is charged with starting the Lachman Fire shortly after midnight on January 1st. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California revealed that Rinderknecht, following an Uber drop-off, drove towards Skull Rock Trailhead. During this drive, he allegedly listened to a rap song featuring scenes of objects being set on fire, which is suspected to have influenced his actions.

Following the alleged ignition of the fire, Rinderknecht attempted to contact emergency services multiple times. However, due to his iPhone being out of service range, he was unsuccessful. Eventually, a local resident alerted authorities to the fire. Rinderknecht reportedly left the scene but returned later to capture videos of the incident.

The Lachman Fire intensified and became known as the Palisades Fire on January 7th, as strong winds caused it to resurface and expand. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported that between January 7th and 31st, the fire ravaged 23,448 acres, resulting in 12 fatalities and the destruction of 6,837 structures.

Rinderknecht, who previously lived in Pacific Palisades, California, now resides in Melbourne, Florida. He was apprehended at his Florida residence last week. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, stated in a release, “While we cannot restore what the victims have lost, we hope this criminal case offers some degree of justice to those impacted by this terrible tragedy.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District noted that law enforcement determined Rinderknecht started the fire using witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone data, dynamics analysis and patterns at the scene, among other methods. It also noted that Rinderknecht lied about his location when he saw the Lachman Fire during a Jan. 24 interview with law enforcement. 

Rinderknecht is charged with destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.

The release announcing the indictment notes that if convicted, Rinderknecht faces at least five years and up to 45 years in federal prison. He is expected to appear in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks for his arraignment.