Man Found Guilty of Starting the Dolan Fire in Big Sur in August of 2020 Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison

 

SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced on Wednesday, May 18 that the Honorable Pamela L. Butler sentenced 31-year-old Ivan Gomez to 24 years in state prison.

Gomez had previously been found guilty of the arson known as the Big Sur Dolan fire, which

seriously injured a firefighter and destroyed multiple residences. He was also found guilty of the

arson of the Los Padres National Forest, throwing rocks at a vehicle, cultivating marijuana, and 12

counts of cruelty to animals for killing multiple condors that perished in the fire. In total, he was

found guilty of 16 felony counts.

Judge Butler sentenced him to the upper term of 9 years for the arson causing serious injury to a

firefighter and an additional 5-year enhancement for destroying 14 structures, including residences.

She also sentenced him consecutively for each of the additional charges, of which he was found

guilty, for a total of 24 years.

At the defendant’s trial the evidence established that on August 18, 2020, at approximately 8:15 pm

California State Parks and Recreation officers observed a fire cresting the ridgeline known as “top

of the world” in the Los Padres National Forest. At approximately the same time, officers were

dispatched to a man throwing rocks at vehicles on Highway 1 and the Lime Creek Bridge. When

officers contacted this man, later identified as Ivan Gomez, he stated he had started the fire at an

illegal marijuana grow on the other side of the ridge and killed 5 men.

The U.S. Forest Service Region 5 Wildland Fire Investigation Team conducted a multi-week

investigation that confirmed that the fire originated at the illegal marijuana grow site. This piece of

evidence proved essential. Gomez correctly identified the origin area, which was corroborated by

the People’s fire investigators and confirmed by the defense’s expert. The evidence showed that

Gomez would have had time to start the fire which, was calculated to start around 5 pm, and make it

to the Lime Creek area where he was confronted at 8:15 pm. Firefighters testified that no other

individual(s) were found in this area and that Gomez was shirtless, sweating, and found with

multiple lighters on his person when contacted by law enforcement. The lighters found on him were

in working order and matched others found at the origin point. In a 3-hour-plus long interview with

detectives from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Gomez admitted he started the fire numerous

times.

The Dolan fire burned 124,924 acres and was contained December 31, 2020. The estimated cost of

fighting the Dolan fire was approximately $62,904,000.00. Several firefighters were injured fighting

the Dolan fire, including a fire captain from the Nacimiento station who sustained serious injuries.

The Dolan fire destroyed 14 structures including 10 residences. The fire also ruined multiple condor

nesting structures, killed 12 condors, and injured several more.

California State Parks and Recreation officers, Big Sur Volunteer Firefighters, Monterey County

Sheriff’s Sergeant Brian Hoskins, Detective Michael Smith, Detective David Gonzalez, Detective

Arras Wilson, Deputy Jesse Villasenor, and the Ventana Wildlife Society investigated the case. The

U.S. Forest Service Region 5 Wildland Fire Investigation Team of Grand Ealy, Matt Swanson,

Cooper Fouch, Sean West, and Jeremiah Laudenslager also assisted with the investigation.