Teen Sentenced to 5+ Years for Subway Arson Attack
A piece of burning paper. A sleeping man. A subway car with nowhere to go.
That December attack has now ended with a federal prison sentence.
What Happened on the No. 3 Train
According to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Hiram Carrero, then a high school senior, boarded the No. 3 train at the 34th Street–Penn Station stop just after 3 a.m. on December 1, 2025.
Surveillance footage showed him lighting a piece of paper on fire and using it to ignite his sleeping victim before exiting the train back onto the Penn Station platform as it continued north.
The 56-year-old victim, his legs engulfed in flames, made his way out of the car as the train pulled into the 42nd Street–Times Square station moments later.
NBC News reported officials said the man's life was saved specifically because of how short the trip from Penn Station to Times Square was, giving first responders the chance to reach him quickly.
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How Severe the Injuries Actually Were
The victim was taken to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition.
He suffered significant burn injuries that left him with permanent, extensive scarring and disfigurement.
Prosecutors argued in court filings that Carrero's actions were separated from murder by mere chance, characterizing the attack as an attempt to kill a sleeping, homeless man by burning him alive while trapped on a moving train car.
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Why This Attack Wasn't Isolated
This wasn't a one-off incident in isolation.
NBC News confirmed the December attack came amid a broader series of similar incidents across the US, in which people were deliberately set on fire while using public transit.
That pattern is part of why federal prosecutors treated the case with particular seriousness, pursuing charges well beyond a standard arson case.
Carrero was originally arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault, criminal mischief, arson, and reckless endangerment, though he ultimately pleaded guilty in March specifically to the arson charge, admitting he intentionally ignited the paper that harmed his victim.
The Sentencing Itself
Judge Lewis J. Liman sentenced Carrero, now 19, to 66 months — five and a half years — in federal prison, a term longer than the mandatory minimum required for the arson charge.
Prosecutors had requested up to eight years.
Carrero's defense attorney, Jennifer Brown, argued for leniency, citing a difficult personal history: Carrero was born prematurely with drugs in his system and was abandoned by his biological parents at the hospital, according to court filings. Brown also described him as intellectually challenged, and said the pandemic disrupted his ability to attend school starting in 2020.
Brown said in court papers that words couldn't adequately capture the shame and remorse Carrero feels over the attack.
Beyond the prison term, Carrero was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution.
What Officials Said About the Outcome
US Attorney Jay Clayton called setting another person on fire a breathtaking, horrific, and unconscionable crime.
He credited first responders, the NYPD, and the FDNY with saving the victim's life and averting what could have been a far worse tragedy, framing subway safety as a continued priority for his office and its law enforcement partners.
Clayton's statement framed the sentence itself as a message: that anyone who terrorizes New Yorkers on the subway, or anywhere else, will face swift consequences.
Key Takeaways
- Hiram Carrero, 19, was sentenced to 66 months — over 5.5 years — in federal prison for setting a sleeping homeless man on fire aboard a subway car.
- The attack occurred on the No. 3 train near Penn Station at 3 a.m. on December 1, 2025.
- The 56-year-old victim suffered permanent scarring and disfigurement; officials say a short trip to Times Square helped save his life.
- The attack was part of a broader series of similar fire attacks on public transit across the US.
- Carrero pleaded guilty to arson in March; prosecutors had sought 8 years.
- US Attorney Jay Clayton credited first responders, the NYPD, and the FDNY with preventing a worse outcome.
Sources
- NBC News — High School Senior Who Set Homeless Man on Fire on NYC Subway Gets Over 5 Years in Prison
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Politics & World News Editor
James Mitchell has covered US and UK politics for over a decade, with a focus on elections, foreign policy, and Capitol Hill. He breaks down complex political stories into clear, fast analysis.
