POUGHKEEPSIE – A 69-year-old man has been convicted of trying to set fire to an apartment building after less than two hours of jury deliberations in the Dutchess County Courthouse this week. Lorgio Hernandez-Quevedo was convicted of felony attempted arson after a four-day jury trial.
District Attorney Anthony Parisi said, “The defendant deliberately attempted to set fire to an occupied apartment building while residents were inside their homes, placing innocent lives at extraordinary risk. The fact that this fire was never fully ignited does not diminish the danger posed by his actions or the fear inflicted upon the victims. This case could have ended in tragedy.”
Parisi also commended the jury for their diligent review of the evidence and the City of Poughkeepsie police for their prompt investigation.
On April 18th, 2025, Hernandez-Quevedo attempted to set a fire to an apartment building located at 2 Rose Street in the City of Poughkeepsie by pouring gasoline down the stairs to the basement unit apartment and attempted to ignite it with a lighter. The evidence showed that he then poured gasoline around the outside of the building onto a large piece of plywood attached to the front of the apartment building and into an air conditioning unit of the basement apartment. The tenants in the basement were home with their dogs, and the tenants of the third-floor apartment were home as well. The basement tenants called 911. Video captured by a municipal camera and surveillance footage from 2 Rose Street showed the defendant’s actions.
Hernandez-Quevedo was the building’s superintendent at the time.
Dutchess County Court Judge Jessica Segal has scheduled sentencing for July 21, 2026.
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