A Louisiana man has been convicted of setting fire to his ex-girlfriend's car and her boyfriend's car.
Shane Perez, 38, of Marrero, could get up to 40 years in prison, District Attorney Warren Montgomery said in a news release Friday.
A St. Tammany Parish jury took a little more than an hour Wednesday to convict Perez of aggravated arson, Montgomery said. That crime carries six to 20 years. But Montgomery said Perez will be sentenced as a habitual offender, with previous convictions of child abuse, burglary, DWI and several battery charges.
Montgomery said the household found the cars burning after a car alarm woke them early Sept. 21, 2017. The fire spread to their home.
The woman told investigators Perez had threatened to burn the cars and had spent a week harassing her. His threats included 147 calls, 40 voicemails and several text messages, Montgomery said.
The defense argued that threats and the presence of Montgomery's vehicle near the fire were coincidental, according to the news release.