by 
Tydel Scott Ray
On April 12, Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputies and firefighters from the San Manuel Fire Department were called to the scene of a vehicle fire in the 200 block of South Avenue A, San Manuel.
The passenger compartment of the vehicle was fully engulfed by the time emergency crews were on scene.
Not too long after the call for the vehicle fire, dispatchers had another call for a fire, this time in the desert area behind Minit Market on Avenue A in San Manuel. A third fire was soon reported, this time in the area of First and Park.
Officials soon realized that they had an arson case.
Once the fires were extinguished, investigation of the case was turned over to PCSO Deputy Corbiere Pecora.
According to PCSO Lieutenant John Ellsworth, Pecora was able to identify the person he believed to be responsible for the fires. He obtained a confession from the suspect and has arrested him in connection with the fires. The suspect is a 16-year-old juvenile male.
Pecora returned to the victim’s home in the 200 block of South Avenue A to notify him that an arrest had been made in the case and to obtain a witness statement. While he was on scene, he noticed a suspicious plant growing in the victim’s backyard, clearly seen through a screen door and a glass door.
Based on his observations, Pecora obtained a search warrant and located 10 marijuana plants growing in the backyard at 237 South Avenue A, San Manuel.
A subsequent search of the home’s interior found numerous items of drug paraphernalia and other amounts of marijuana.
Pecora arrested the homeowner, identified as Tydel Scott Ray, 45, of San Manuel. He was charged with 10 counts of cultivation of marijuana, two counts of possession of marijuana and eight counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Ellsworth said that Pecora “did a bang up job” in his investigation. He also said that he is extremely proud of all the deputies in the Copper Corridor area with how they have handled several tough cases including rescuing a lost grandmother and grandchildren, the arson investigation and marijuana grow, as well as the fatal shooting on Monday.
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