Nassau County Arson and Bomb Squad Detectives said they have arrested Elder Lopez Avalos for an alleged string of arsons in Freeport. The arrest occurred on May 10 at 1:30 a.m. in Freeport.
According to Nassau County detectives, officers responded to a report of multiple vehicles being on fire at the Municipal Parking Field 1, located in the vicinity of 32 Smith Street. Officers found Avalos, 27, who lives on Ambrose Place in Baldwin, a short distance away from the scene of the burning vehicles. He was placed under arrest without any incident.
Further investigation by the detectives prompted them to determine that Avalos was also responsible for three previous incidents of vehicle fires in Freeport. The incidents allegedly occurred on June 18, 2025, June 29, 2025, and May 2 of this year.
Avalos has been charged with six counts of arson in the third degree and one count of arson in the fourth degree. He will be arraigned today, May 11, at the First District Court in Hempstead.
If convicted of all charges, Avalos could face several decades in prison, as New York law sets a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for a single count of third degree arsons.
