Arson suspect freed on conditions, $10K surety
Ryanne Joseph Pineda, 35, of McLeod Hill, will be confined to his home save for limited exceptions and must allow police to check that he’s complying with order
A Fredericton man accused of torching his own McLeod Hill home last month has been freed on strict conditions - including payment of a $10,000 surety - following a bail hearing Tuesday.
Ryanne Joseph Pineda, 35, of Sunset Boulevard, has been in custody since the Fredericton Police Force arrested him the night of March 29.
He faces an arson charge alleging he set fire to his residence ast 46 Sunset Blvd. that night and being reckless or negligent whether others were inside at the time.
Provincial court Judge Lucie Mathurin presided over Pineda’s bail hearing Tuesday, and at its conclusion, she found that the defendant - who was present in person in custody for the proceeding - could be released on conditions.
The evidence presented at the bail hearing and the judge’s reasons for granting a release order are subject to a ban on publication until the case concludes.
Before Pineda can be released, he’s to deposit a $10,000 surety with the court, and if he were to breach any of the conditions of his release order, that amount could be forfeited to the Crown.
Requirements for cash bail are rare in New Brunswick’s criminal courts.
Mathurin also ordered the defendant to reside at his Sunset Boulevard home and remain there 24 hours a day except for work at his business, East Coast Vape, medical appointments or emergencies, legal appointments, treatment sessions and Mondays from noon to 4 p.m. to attend to personal matters such as grocery shopping.
The release order also requires Pineda to abstain from alcohol and drugs, report to the Fredericton Police Force station in person every Monday, have no contact with Mike Sweeney, possess no weapons, refrain from associating with people with criminal records and allow police to enter his residence to ensure compliance with those conditions.
The judge set the case over to May 2 for election of mode of trial and plea.
During a previous appearance last week, Pineda, while still in custody, told the court, “I didn’t do this.”
However, during his initial appearance in court March 30, he said he wasn’t in his right mind the night of the fire at his home.
“I was in a psychotic episode,” he told the court that afternoon. “I was supposed to go see a psychologist today.”
The fire prompted a significant emergency response shortly after 11 p.m. March 29, with multiple police and fire-department vehicles responding to the scene in McLeod Hill, as well as an ambulance.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly.
Since Pineda has been ordered to reside at the location of the fire, presumably, the damage to the home wasn’t extensive and the house remains liveable.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.