Derick Almena will Serve 18 months In-Home Confinement after Warehouse Fire Killed 36
Derick Almena, the former leaseholder of a warehouse that caught fire and killed 36 people, will be serving out the remainder of his sentence, 18 months, at home while wearing an ankle monitor. His revised sentence follows on the heels of a fair share of controversy surrounding his case.
The Bay Area warehouse known as the “Ghost Ship” was located in Oakland, California, and served as an art collective with space available for artists to live in. On December 2nd, 2016, an electronic music concert was held there that drew a crowd of 80 to 100 people. During the concert, a fire broke out killing 36 party goers.
While an official cause of the fire has yet to be established, an early investigation launched by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office in 2017 yielded results that indicate the fire started because of improper wiring in the building. The warehouse itself lacked preventive fire detectors and a sprinkler system. The blaze has since been recorded as the deadliest fire in Oakland's history since 2003.
On June 5th, several months after the initial investigation was launched, Almena, 50, who was the primary leaseholder of the warehouse, and his assistant, Max Harris, were arrested on charges of felony involuntary manslaughter. Both men plead no contest to the charges. Harris was later acquitted on all charges.
After several roadblocks in Almena’s trial, including a mistrial after three female jurors were dismissed, Almena pled guilty as part of a plea agreement. In exchange for his guilty plea on all 36 counts, Almena was handed a sentence of 18 months of in-home confinement with an ankle monitor. Almena was also given credit for the time he already served behind bars while he was awaiting trial. His good behavior while behind bars was also taken into consideration for the plea agreement.
In a statement that was read by his attorney in court, Almena explains, "My shame cannot stand as any defense against what I am responsible for. It is my fault, my terrible accumulation of error, that shaped and built a place so dangerous."
Many have come out against what is being described as a lenient sentence for such negligence. During sentencing, Alameda County Superior judge Trina Thompson shared, "I know that no family member will find this in any way acceptable, and I accept that responsibility. I wish I could in the stroke of a pen take away your deep loss and your sadness."
In a statement that was read to the court, the family of victim Sara Hoda shared, "This lenient, slap-on-the-wrist sentence is vastly inappropriate for the crimes Derick Almena committed."
Although Almena was the primary landlord at the time of the incident, the families of the victims are calling for the building's owner and the city to be held accountable as well. Chor Ng and her children who owned the warehouse and leased it to Almena do not face any criminal charges.
Other family members have called on city officials to be held accountable because the warehouse did not follow code regulations as it was not zoned to be an area of recreation or entertainment.
The owners of the building have responded to accusations of their negligence by explaining that the electrician they hired to work on the building had lied about his licensure.
A civil lawsuit was filed in 2018 by the victims' families that named several individuals along with the city of Oakland, Alameda County, the state of California, and the owners of the warehouse. In July 2020, a settlement was reached and the City of Oakland paid out a total of $33 million to the families of victims who lost their lives in the fire as well as one victim who survived and now faces life-long injuries.
