A Shasta County man has been sentenced to prison after violating his arson probation. 41-year-old Omar Nizar Alkurdi started two arson fires in Redding in July of 2024 during a state of emergency. After pleading no contest, Alkurdi was given a prison sentence that was suspended on condition of 2 years probation. He was arrested on new charges shortly afterward. Last year Akurdi’s defense expressed doubts about his mental competency to understand the charges and a court appointed doctor concurred. Alkurdi was admitted to a state hospital, where competency was restored, and criminal proceedings resumed. Last week Alkurdi was ordered to serve his prison sentence of nearly 11 years.
-Steve Gibson