MARIPOSA – CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers arrested 61-year-old Michael Eric Alexander on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Mariposa County. Through an extensive investigation, Alexander, a local resident, was identified as the suspect responsible for igniting five vegetation fires between Paddy Hill Road and Corey Pines Road off of East Whitlock Road since May 31, 2023. The East Whitlock fires occurred in the Midpines area in Mariposa County. The multiple East Whitlock fires ignited were less than an acre in size; the arrest prevented a large damaging wildfire from possibly occurring.
Michael Eric Alexander
Alexander was arrested on felony charges of suspicion of arson to forest land, PC 451(c). For more information, contact the Mariposa County District Attorney’s Office.
The arrest and comprehensive investigation were a collaborative effort between CAL FIRE Law Enforcement, Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, and United States Forest Service (USFS) Law Enforcement officers.
CAL FIRE would like to take this opportunity to remind the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activity to authorities. If you see a suspicious person, vehicle, or any other activity prior to, during, or after a fire, take pictures, video recordings, and/or write down detailed information. Any person with information related to an arson fire is encouraged to contact the CAL FIRE Arson Hotline at (800) 468-4408. Callers can remain anonymous.
“I have said it before and I will continue to say it, my office and I will ALWAYS take a hard stance on criminals, especially those who commit crimes against others. Whenever we suspect arson, I personally ensure that we use every resource available to us to put them behind bars. Mariposa County has suffered enough by the hands of arsonists. I am proud of the work done by the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office on this particular arson case. My hope is that with each of these kinds of arrests, our communities can rest a little better at night.” –Sheriff Jeremy Briese
