A Tucson man, Michael J. Sobcynski, 64, was ordered to pay a fine and $180,000 in restitution to the United States Forest Service for his role in the fire dubbed as the “Molino II Fire.”
Sobcynski pleaded guilty to Use of Incendiary Ammunition.
According to the Department of Justice, on April 30, 2023, Sobcynski was target shooting in the Molino Basin target shooting area of the Coronado National Forest. His shotgun was loaded with incendiary rounds, which ignited multiple small fires and ultimately caused a wildfire that burned within the Coronado National Forest. Fire suppression costs exceeded $200,000.