PORTLAND, Ore. — A teen accused of setting dozens of fires across Portland in 2022 will be required to pay about $30,000 in restitution. Malik Hares, 19, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree arson and one count of second-degree arson, and at one point, told fire investigators that he had purchased lighter fluid and served as the "driver" during one of the incidents.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Melvin Oden-Orr sentenced Hares to 180 hours of community service and three years of probation on Friday, and agreed to waive all fines and fees for the case in light of the large amount of restitution.
"On his behalf, I’d like to offer an apology to the community and the victims in this case," Hares's attorney Alexis Andersen said Friday. "Mr. Hares is here taking accountability and ready to move on with his life and get in a better direction. He’s eager to continue his education."
Two other 19-year-olds, Samuel Perkins and Wayne Chen, were named alongside Hares in two of 14 charges listed in an indictment from the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office; the other 12 applied to Hares alone. Perkins and Chen each previously pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree arson and were sentenced to probation and community service.
Hares admitted he intentionally started a fire that damaged Grace Lutheran Church in July of 2022, and less than a month later, he started fires in Mount Tabor Park and Harrison Park. According to court documents, Hares said he "didn't know" why the trio started the fires and that they "were just being stupid."
Court documents detailed how dangerous the fires could have been if they had spread. The Portland region was under a burn ban at the time because of high temperatures and winds, and fire officials asked residents to be vigilant after the fires around Mount Tabor began popping up.
"There were some of our neighbors who were going on nightly patrols up at the park just because they were really worried," Jennie Cambier told KGW a few months after the fires.
The three teens were arrested in September 2022, but the charges against them were all dropped over the following two months. The District Attorney's office later presented evidence to a grand jury in December 2022, and announced the following month that it would reinstate the charges.