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Colby fire suspects plead not guilty in federal court
Steven Aguirre (at left), 21, a transient; Jonathan Jarrell (center), 23, of Irwindale; and Clifford Henry (at right), Jr, 22, of Glendora, have been accused of starting the Colby Fire in Glendora.
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Courtesy Glendora PD
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Firefighters work to fight the Colby Fire in the mountains near Glendora on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014.
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Maya Sugarman/KPCC
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Firefighters work to fight the Colby Fire in the mountains near Glendora on Thursday. The blaze has burned 1,700 acres so far according to LA County Fire as of 10:07 a.m. on Thursday.
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Maya Sugarman/KPCC
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Images of the Colby Fire burning above Glendora and Azusa on Jan. 16, 2014, from KPCC listener Enrique Vasquez Plaza on Facebook.
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Enrique Vasquez Plaza
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The three men accused of sparking last month's 2,000-acre Colby fire near Glendora pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges, the LA Times reported.
The Colby Fire broke out before dawn on Jan. 16. Glendora Police said the three men--Jonathan Carl Jarrell, 24, of Irwindale, Steven Robert Aguirre, 21, of Los Angeles and Clifford Eugene Henry Jr., 22, of Glendora--had spent the night in the foothills above Glendora. As the night grew cold, they allegedly threw paper into their campfire.
RELATED: Colby Fire: Feds charge 3 men with felony fire-setting
Although they reportedly tried to stomp out the growing fire, the embers spread into a 2,000-acre blaze that destroyed five homes and damaged 17 others, an affidavit alleges.
RELATED: Colby Fire: Suspect posted on Facebook; blaze slowing; 3 injured; 5 homes destroyed
The three men are also charged with four misdemeanor code violations, Assistant U.S. Atty. Bettinelli said, according to the LA Times. The felony counts each carry a maximum of five years in prison, while the misdemeanors carry a penalty of up to six months.
A trial date was set for March 11, though a status conference was scheduled for Feb. 20.
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