This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Tooele police and fire investigators confirmed Thursday that they had questioned and jailed a "person of interest" in a suspected arson fire that destroyed seven mobile homes and damaged more than two dozen others, but remained mum on evidence or whether other possible suspects were at large.
Police spokeswoman Tanya Turnbow said that social media tips led officers to Jesse G. Barger, 24, overnight. He was interviewed about Wednesday's blaze, and arrested — but booked into the Tooele County Jail on outstanding warrants not related to the fire itself.
Utah court records show that warrants for Barger's arrest were issued by the Iron County justice court in 2015, as well as earlier this month, in three cases where he had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts, including retail theft, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, but then violated his probation.
"We continue to ask the public to report any tips or information related to the fire," Turnbow said, though she would not specifically confirm that any others were being sought in connection with the blaze.
Turnbow, noting Tooele police and the state Fire Marshal's Office were cooperating in the arson probe, but she was not at liberty to detail why investigators determined the fire was intentionally set late Tuesday night in a field close to the mobile home park at 700 South and Coleman Street.
"All I can say is that from evidence [arson investigators] gathered with us on scene, the fire was set intentionally," she said.
The fire began on the south side of a tinder-dry field about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Hot, dry conditions and a 30 mph canyon winds blew the flames into the neighborhood, giving residents just minutes to evacuate.
The fire blackened 30 acres of grass and sagebrush along with several outbuildings and vehicles. Eyewitnesses said the blaze burned hot and fast, leveling a half-dozen homes in a matter of minutes.
About 30 residents were displaced by the fire. They were receiving temporary housing, food, clothing and shelter aid from the Utah Red Cross.
Barger in December 2012 was sentenced to the Utah State Prison for up to five years after pleading guilty Cedar City's 5th District Court in two cases, one involving third-degree felony retail theft, the other involving misdemeanor counts of attempted forgery, attempted unlawful acquisition of a credit card and theft.
He served about nine months in prison before being paroled in August 2013, but was later returned to prison for a parole violation, according to parole and corrections officials. His sentence was terminated last September, parole authorities said.
Most recently, Barger pleaded guilty last year in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court to misdemeanor false personal information with intent to be another actual person and was sentenced to time served. After Barger and another man ran from a South Salt Lake store without paying for about $75 in merchandise, Barger gave police his nephew's name, according to charging documents.
Twitter: @remims