Jesse Esteban Banuelos arrested for arson

On Saturday February 6, 2021, at approximately 9:25am, The Arcata Police Department responded to the 2700 block of Greenbriar Lane for the report of a residential structure fire. Upon their arrival, officers located a male in the yard throwing items onto the burning residence. 

He was behaving aggressively as he threw various items at the officers and refused to comply with their orders to back away from the burning structure to allow arriving Arcata Fire District personnel to extinguish the fire.

22-year-old Arcata resident Jesse Esteban Banuelos was taken into custody and was booked and lodged into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on the suspicion of arson of an inhabited structure. He was determined to be a guest at the residence. No fatalities or injuries were discovered or reported. The residence sustained extensive fire damage.

This incident remains under investigation by the Arcata Police Department and investigators with the Arcata Fire Protection District. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Arcata Police Department's Investigations Division.