A federal jury has convicted Viorel Pricop, 66, of Allen Park, Michigan, on three counts of arson involving vehicles or property in interstate commerce. Pricop was found guilty of setting fire to three semi-truck trailers owned by Swift Transportation, a company based in Phoenix. The incidents took place in Willcox and Holbrook, Arizona, where the trailers were parked at or near truck stops when the fires were set.
Evidence presented during the eight-day trial indicated that these acts were part of a broader pattern targeting Swift Transportation. Prosecutors revealed that Pricop was responsible for at least 16 additional arsons involving Swift’s semi-trailers across several states between October 2021 and September 2022. These incidents occurred at locations ranging from Barstow, California to McCalla, Alabama, with most taking place along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40. Some of these fires led to federal charges in other districts and resulted in a separate conviction for six arsons after a trial in the Central District of California.
Investigators linked Pricop to the scenes using cellular data analysis. A device used by Pricop for navigation connected to cell towers near the locations and times of the fires. His cellphone was also detected in the areas where all three Arizona arsons occurred.
Authorities found items such as a gas torch, lighters, and fuel-soaked rags inside Pricop’s vehicle.
United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker scheduled sentencing for November 13, 2025. Pricop faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to twenty years in prison for each count.
The investigation was led by the Albuquerque Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Phoenix Field Division. Support came from ATF’s Fire Research and Forensic Laboratories, Certified Fire Investigators, Special Agents from ATF’s National Cellular Analytics Program, and prosecution was handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
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