Man Suspected of Starting Palisades Fire Indicted on Federal Charges; Faces 45 Years in Prison. A federal grand jury has indicted 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht for allegedly starting the deadly Palisades Fire that devastated parts of Los Angeles earlier this year. The Justice Department said Rinderknecht faces three charges: destruction of property by fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and timber set afire. The new indictment increases his potential sentence from 20 years to up to 45 years in federal prison. Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht, a former LA resident living in Florida, ignited a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades on January 1 while working as an Uber driver. Although fire crews initially contained the blaze, it reignited nearly a week later due to high winds, destroying neighborhoods and killing 12 people. Investigators say Rinderknecht used an open flame, possibly a lighter, to set combustible materials such as vegetation or paper on fire. Authorities cited digital evidence showing Rinderknecht allegedly generated an AI image of “a burning forest and a crowd fleeing” months before his arrest. He is scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks, federal prosecutors confirmed. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT