Final Defendant in Red Lake Arson Case Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

The final defendant in a Red Lake arson case has been sentenced to five years in prison.

35-year-old Dalene Fajardo received her sentence in US District Court on Aug. 14 for one count of aiding and abetting arson for her role in an April 2021 fire. Court documents state Fajardo, along with two other defendants, conspired and knowingly agreed to commit arson to maliciously damage and destroy property.

The three defendants reportedly made Molotov cocktail devices, traveled to a location on the Red Lake Reservation, and threw the cocktails at a vehicle. The vehicle was destroyed as a result, and a nearby home was partially burned. The residence’s occupants were all forced to evacuate.

Fajardo pleaded guilty in March of 2023. The other two defendants, Corey Leigh Stately, 40, and Lori Anna Sayers, 33, were previously sentenced to five and three months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the fire.