Menifee man charged with arson in June 24 house fire

Seanb Joshua Halas is accused of arson in a June 24 house fire in Menifee. Photo courtesy of Cal Fire

A Menifee man accused of arson in a house fire in June was located in Arizona and arrested, authorities said.

Sean Joshua Halas, 42, is awaiting extradition to California to face arson charges, according to a news release from the Riverside County District Attorney. At the time of the fire, he was on probation following an attempted second-degree murder conviction. He had been out of custody for less than a week on the morning of June 24, when Cal Fire Riverside responded to a house fire at a home in the 30600 block of Shoreline Drive in Menifee.

Firefighters contained the fire to the second floor of the home. A dog and bird were killed in the fire. Investigators determined the cause of fire was arson.

Witnesses said that a pickup truck was seen leaving the scene about 30 seconds before an explosion and fire at the rear of the residence. Investigators learned that Halas had lived at the home prior to his conviction and had lived there again since his release from custody. He drove a pickup matching the description of the vehicle leaving the scene of the fire.

Acting on information that Halas was now in Arizona, the Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force Team 6 located Halas at a motel in Bullhead City, Arizona. He was arrested on Sept. 8.

Halas was convicted by a Riverside County jury on Jan. 22 of attempted second-degree murder, domestic violence and assault causing great bodily injury. The District Attorney’s office asked that Halas be sentenced to nine years in prison, but a judge sentenced him to 365 days in custody with credit for time served and three years of probation.