A San Juan County woman received four years in the Department of Corrections for setting her boyfriend’s house on fire and killing his dog.
Cecilia Rivera, 23, entered a plea agreement Feb. 12, admitting to a second-degree felony arson that caused nearly $500,000 in damages to a home on County Road 3950.
Special Prosecutor Andrea Reeb requested the court sentence Rivera to five years in the Department of Corrections. This after the department did a 60-day evaluation of the woman.
“I would go back to the evaluation where she denied starting the fire and was not truthful,” Reeb said, adding that Farmers Insurance estimated the damages to be $484,000.
Both Reeb and Defense Attorney Tyson Quail told the court that Rivera needed long-term treatment.
However, Quail was unsuccessful in setting that up. “I have not found a treatment facility that would accept Ms. Rivera,” he said.
Rivera started the July 31, 2024, fire by dousing the master bedroom with Kingsford lighter fluid. She then left her boyfriend Chase Burson and his dog, Seaweed inside the home, according to court records.
Burson suffered first- and second-degree burns on his “head, shoulders and back area,” and had to be given an “emergency tracheotomy” before being flown to UNM Hospital in Albuquerque for treatment of smoke inhalation and burns, the affidavit states.
Seaweed died in the fire.
Burson’s mother, Eva Burson spoke at the sentencing and asked for $10,000 in restitution.
“It’s been a long road, a long fight,” Burson said.
“The impact of these things is unimaginable,” District Judge Curtis Gurley replied.
Rivera spoke during her sentencing saying that she would attempt to pay back the $10,000 if she was given a chance.
“I’m very sorry for what happened. There’s no excuse for someone to act like that,” Rivera said. “It’s not in my nature to act like that.”
Quail requested the court place Rivera on supervised probation, saying she had a “bad, horrible home life,” with very little family support and took responsibility by entering a plea.
Judge Gurley said that he would follow the prosecutor’s recommendation and sentence Rivera to nine years in the Department of Corrections. He suspended five years of that sentence, so she will serve four years in prison, followed by five years of parole.
The judge also recommended Rivera be placed in a facility that offered treatment.