Food truck owner sentenced to five years in prison for arson, insurance fraud
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The man convicted of arson and insurance fraud after setting his one food truck on fire, Avonte Hartsfield, will spend the next five years and four months in state prison, a judge decided Wednesday.
“The defendant shall be committed to the California and Rehabilitation for the total term of five years, four months with credits,” said Kimberlee Lagotta, San Diego County Superior Court Judge.
Hartsfield, 27, appeared in court in custody and represented himself. Lagotta said the sentence is the “maximum statutorily eligible sentence.”
Lagotta and San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Judy Taschner said Hartsfield’s lack of responsibility and remorse played into the sentencing.
“He is still blaming others. To this day, zero taking of responsibility or any remorse for what happened in the amount of money he took,” Taschner said.
Harstfield maintains his innocence.
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“I do understand that the prosecution and the court and prosecution would like to see an acceptance of responsibility. However, still I am denying the fact I was there…overwhelming evidence would’ve proved that,” Hartsfield said. “Throughout the trial prosecution, still was unable to prove that, how the fire even started.”
“Again no evidence anyone else is involved in this other than Hartsfield himself,” Taschner added.
In February, a jury found that Hartsfield did set his food truck on fire “Rolling Roots” back in October 2021, outside his Kearny Mesa office.
Originally, Hartsfield claimed someone targeted his business and the fire was a hate crime. Two days before the fire, Hartsfield had previously said someone left a noose hanging inside his office and cut power cords to the food truck.
The insurance money, plus donations from GoFundMe and Sycuan Tribe poured in, Taschner said to the tune of more than $300,000.
“The defendant prayed on the San Diego community, on the trust and on the good nature and the good hearts our community has,” Taschner said.
A few months after the fire, Hartsfield backtracked and told GoFundMe donors started from an electrical mishap, then offered to repay people.
However, a year later in November 2022, prosecutors charged Hartsfield with arson and insurance fraud.
After exhaustive court proceedings, Hartsfield now stands convicted of arson, insurance fraud and grand theft. Hartsfield said he will keep up with his legal fight.
“I’m still going to be appealing his case,” Hartsfield said.
“He’s been sentenced, he’s had a chance to be heard, he had a chance to argue, everyone has a right to appeal,” Taschner said.
Hartsfield has credit for time served of 116 days. He will be back in court on April 22 at 1:30P in Dept. 1601 for a restitution hearing.
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