Nyack Teenager Indicted in Arson Spree

A Nyack teenager has been indicted by a Rockland County grand jury on charges he went on a arson, burglary and theft spree in Nyack that wrecked four cars, damaged a home and a downtown business in August.

Jonathan Barillas, 16, of South Franklin Street, is still being held in the Rockland County Correctional Facility in New City, where he has been since his arrest by Orangetown Police on Aug. 23. He is awaiting a hearing in Rockland County Court.

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said Barillas has been indicted on charges including:

- Third-degree arson

- Fourth-degree arson

- Third-degree burglary

- Fourth-degree grand larceny.

Barillas was arrested after an investigation by Orangetown detectives, who determined that Barillas was linked to an arson fire on Aug. 19 at a business at 13 Catherine St. and four car fires within about three blocks of each other in the area of Summit Street in Nyack.

One of the intentionally-set car fires damaged a home on Summit Street and another damaged a shed behind another Summit Street home.

Barillas is accused of burglarizing 13 Catherine St. on Aug. 10 and Aug. 13, taking items including a computer keyboard. The building was then damaged by an arson fire on Aug. 19. In that fire, a Nyack business was heavily damaged and a man who was sleeping in one of two apartments in the building had to be evacuated by an Orangetown police officer.

Zugibe said that when Barillas was arrested he was in possession of a stolen Shell credit car that was taken from a car.