A man from South Carolina who admitted to torching his ex-house girlfriend and the lives of her children will serve time behind bars.
The State announced on Monday that Jorge Mora-Vahena, age 29, had entered a guilty plea to charges of first-degree assault and battery as well as second-degree arson for allegedly setting fire to a residence in September of 2022.
South Carolina authorities investigate cause of fire
Authorities report that fire crews were dispatched to the home where Mora-ex-girlfriend Vahena and her two children were sleeping when the house caught fire.
The family was able to escape the burning home, but the family pet was trapped inside. The fire destroyed the residence.
The Newberry Fire Department and the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office concluded that the fire had been deliberately set after conducting an investigation. Using information from Mora-phone Vahena’s records, investigators were able to determine that she was present at the scene during the fire. Later, Mora-Vahena admitted to the authorities that he was responsible for starting the fire.
The attorney condemns the malicious act
David Stumbo, an attorney, stated in a press release, “It takes a malicious, evil heart to set a house on fire while children are sleeping.” “I am pleased that Jorge Mora-Vahena will spend a significant amount of time behind bars, and we will continue to stand with our law enforcement partners to combat this scourge of domestic violence in our communities.”
Mora-Vahena was initially charged with two counts of attempted murder, unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm or knowingly abandoning the child, as well as second-degree domestic violence.
However, in the end, she pleaded guilty to second-degree arson and first-degree assault and battery charges instead.
For the arson charge, Mora-Vahena was given a sentence of ten years in prison, and for the assault charge, he was given a sentence of five years suspended, bringing his total sentence to thirty months.
The sentences will be carried out concurrently, but Mora-Vahena will be given credit for having already served 142 days.
