A 19-year-old New York City man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after admitting he set a sleeping homeless man on fire inside a subway car near Penn Station.
Judge Gives Teen Federal Prison Term
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman imposed the sentence after Carrero pleaded guilty earlier this year. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered restitution, though the amount was not immediately detailed in the public sentencing announcement.
The sentence was longer than the mandatory minimum required for the arson charge. Prosecutors had pushed for a harsher term, arguing that the victim survived because emergency responders reached him quickly after the train’s short ride to Times Square.
Fire Started Near Penn Station
The attack happened in the early morning hours of Dec. 1. Investigators said Carrero entered the subway system at 34th Street-Penn Station and boarded a northbound No. 3 train.
Once inside the car, he picked up a piece of paper, lit it, and used it to ignite the sleeping victim, officials said. Carrero then stepped off the train before the doors closed.
The victim remained inside the moving subway car as it traveled toward 42nd Street-Times Square. Prosecutors said the man was trapped during that ride and had no real chance to protect himself once the train pulled away.
Responders reached the victim at Times Square.
Officials said the victim suffered severe burn injuries, permanent scarring, and disfigurement. Prosecutors described the attack as nearly fatal and said the outcome could have been worse if the train ride had lasted longer.
The victim’s name has not been publicly released in major reports. Officials have identified him only as a 56-year-old homeless man.
Carrero Pleaded Guilty in March
Carrero pleaded guilty to arson on March 5, 2026. During the plea, he admitted that he intentionally ignited a piece of paper and caused harm to the victim.
The guilty plea came about three months after the attack. Carrero had initially faced serious allegations after investigators reviewed surveillance video and other evidence from the subway system.
A local report said Carrero was arrested days after the fire. The case later moved through federal court in Manhattan.
Prosecutors Asked for Eight Years
Federal prosecutors wanted Carrero to serve up to eight years in prison. They said his conduct came close to killing the victim. In court papers, prosecutors said Carrero tried to kill a sleeping homeless man by burning him alive and leaving him inside a moving subway car.
They also criticized his explanation that he had been drinking and had smoked marijuana that day.
The government argued that intoxication did not reduce the seriousness of the crime. Prosecutors said the victim was asleep, vulnerable, and trapped after Carrero left the car.
Defense Cited Difficult Upbringing
Carrero’s lawyer, Jennifer Brown, asked the court to consider his background before deciding the sentence. The defense said Carrero was born prematurely with drugs in his system and was abandoned by his biological parents at the hospital.
Brown also described Carrero as intellectually challenged. She wrote that his life worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when school disruptions disrupted his daily routine.
The defense said Carrero felt deep shame and remorse. A separate report said his lawyer asked for leniency while describing his personal history and struggles.
Subway Case Drew Citywide Attention
The attack drew attention because it happened in a public transit system used by millions of riders. The facts also troubled many New Yorkers because the victim was asleep and homeless when he was set on fire.
Late-night subway trains often carry workers, students, tourists, and people with nowhere else to sleep. The incident placed new focus on violence inside enclosed train cars, where riders may have limited ability to escape between stops.
The case also followed other high-profile fire attacks on public transit in the United States. Officials have treated the Carrero case separately, but it added to concerns over extreme violence in subway spaces.
Victim Survived With Severe Burns
The criminal case now leaves Carrero with a federal prison term, supervised release, and restitution. The victim survived, but officials said his injuries caused lasting physical harm.
The attack lasted only minutes, but it moved through two of Manhattan’s busiest subway stops. Carrero boarded near Penn Station. The victim escaped at Times Square. Emergency responders acted there before the fire took his life.
