Authorities hold man in connection with trestle fire
By Denny Walsh - Bee Staff Writer

Published 3:54 pm PDT Monday, August 20, 2007

Print | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Digg it | del.icio.us

An El Salvadoran national in the United States illegally is being investigated in connection with the March 15 blaze that destroyed the Union Pacific Railroad trestle along the American River Parkway, a federal prosecutor has confirmed.

In order to keep Jose Eduardo Moran-Marquez, who is homeless, from disappearing while the investigation continues, he was arrested by federal authorities on May 18 on a charge of being a previously deported immigrant who re-entered the United States illegally.

That charge, however, was resolved Thursday when Moran-Marquez was sentenced to time served by U. S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. and became eligible for deportation.

But, in order to continue his incarceration, he was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on three counts of making false statements to a federal arson investigator.

Asst. U.S. Attorney R. Steven Lapham confirmed Monday that Moran-Marquez, 31, is a target of the federal arson investigation, but would not elaborate.