Man arrested in retail store fire previously arrested for same crime, fire department says

A man arrested in connection to a retail store fire had previously been arrested for the same crime, the El Paso Fire Department said in a news release.

Joseph Anthony Plumablanca, 25, was charged with Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trepass.

Fire department officials said a police investigation regarding a retail store fire from Aug. 8, 2017 at the 12200 block of Montana led to Plumablanca’s arrest.

The 25-year-old male was taken into custody and re-booked into the El Paso County Jail on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017.

Fire department officials said Plumablanca had previously been taken into custody on Aug. 9, 2017 in connection to a fire set at another retail store located at the 4500 block of Woodrow Bean Dr.

At that time, he was charged with Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespass.

Plumablanca allegedly lit fires inside both stores to create a diversion in order to steal merchandise, fire department officials said.