Man claiming to be firefighter arrested for arson in Las Cruces house blaze

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico – A man claiming to be a firefighter has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with a fire inside an abandoned home last weekend.

Jaime R. Garcia, 32, has been charged with arson and criminal damage to property.

Shortly after 1 p.m. on Saturday, Las Cruces fire and police crews responded to reports of smoking coming from a window of an abandoned home on the 900 block of Brownlee Avenue.

Firefighters were able to put out the fire quickly and contained it to one room.

Police found Garcia crouching in an alcove in the home. Officers said they had to give him multiple commands to leave the alcove before he complied.

When interviewed by police, Garcia initially said he was a firefighter, which proved to be untrue.

Investigators said Garcia had stayed in the abandoned home the previous night and did not have permission to be there.

He is being held in the Dona Ana County Detention Center without bond.