Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office Announces Investigations Leading to Guilty Pleas

The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO), a division of the Texas Department of Insurance. announced three investigations that have led to guilty pleas:

• James Levorn Rias pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge following a May 2024 fire in Duncanville where Rias attempted to conceal a murder by setting an apartment on fire. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. SFMO helped the Duncanville Police Department and the Duncanville Fire Marshal’s Office with this investigation. The Cedar Hill Fire Marshal’s Office also helped.
• Danial Allan, Jr. pleaded guilty to nine counts of arson for a series of fires in Scurry County dating back to 2019. Allan was sentenced to 35 years in prison. SFMO helped the Scurry County Fire Marshal’s Office with this investigation.
• Chad Michael Kernek pleaded guilty on a charge of arson for a January 2023 home fire in Wharton County. Kernek confessed to using lighter fluid on bedroom furnishings to start a fire in his home and several of his previous homes. Kernek was sentenced to 180 days in jail, four years of deferred adjudication, fines, and a mental health evaluation.

SFMO fire investigations work to determine the origin and cause of fires. The agency’s team includes fire investigators and accelerant detection canines.

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Texas