A Sioux Center man accused of intentionally starting a fire inside an occupied apartment building has been sentenced to prison after accepting a plea agreement.
Court records show 30-year-old Johnathan Hernandez Ramos was arrested in February 2026 following a fire inside his apartment in Sioux Center.
Hernandez Ramos was originally charged with first-degree arson, a felony, but under the plea agreement, that charge was reduced to reckless use of fire or explosives, a serious misdemeanor.
Additional charges were also addressed as part of the deal. A third-degree criminal mischief charge, originally an aggravated misdemeanor, was amended to second-degree criminal mischief, a Class D felony. A charge of possession of methamphetamine, first offense, remained unchanged as a serious misdemeanor, while a separate charge of possession of cannabidiol was dismissed.
As part of the plea agreement, Hernandez Ramos was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on Sunday, February 22nd, when Hernandez Ramos allegedly set a fire in the bedroom of his apartment.
Authorities say the fire was started along a wall shared with a neighboring unit inside the occupied building.
Investigators report Hernandez Ramos told officers he believed his neighbors had instructed him to start the fire and had threatened to kill him or his dog if he refused. Court documents indicate the situation followed a disagreement with the neighboring family, which included minor children.
An officer also noted Hernandez Ramos reported using methamphetamine for several years and said he had used the substance earlier that day, before the incident.
This story update is courtesy of Media Partner KTIV
