October 22 – A man who lit two flares and threw them into the crowd at the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, has been charged with arson that led to personal injuries.
Giovanni Isai Ramirez Reyes (37, a resident of Orlando) lit the flares at a match on February 24 between Orlando and CF Montreal, and if convicted, faces a minimum mandatory penalty of seven years, up to 40 years in federal prison.
In the indictment was issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, which said in a statement: “The flares produced a larger fire that damaged the stadium and caused burns to a child attending the match.”
Ramirez Reyes, who was arrested on October 15, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, has a hearing scheduled for November 12 at the Orlando Federal Courthouse, with a trial date set for December 2.
“Since February, our Club has been diligently working with local and federal law enforcement to identify and hold individuals accountable for severe violations of Inter&Co Stadium policies,” said a club statement on October 15..
“These violations included illegal possession and usage of a flare in the venue, ultimately resulting in damages to the stadium and injuries to a child located in our Supporters Section.
“We can confirm that today, through the work of the Club’s security team as well as local and federal agencies, an arrest has been made. The Club can also confirm that additional individuals, whose violation(s) of stadium protocols enabled this offense, have also received bans from the venue.
“We continue to emphasize that the safety and security of our fans, our players or our staff will always be our number one priority. Our Club will never tolerate any actions that jeopardize or impact that assurance.”
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