A City of San Fernando woman who was arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire in a Burbank store pleaded not guilty on Thursday, April 2, at the Pasadena Courthouse.
Stephanie Irene Mendoza, 27, has been charged with one count of felony arson of an uninhabited structure and could be sentenced up to six years in prison if convicted. She is being held on $150,000 bail at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 14.
On March 29, around 11 p.m., Burbank police and fire personnel responded to reports of a fire inside the Target in the 1800 block of Empire Avenue. By the time they arrived, all customers and staff had been evacuated, and firefighters were able to extinguish the flames.
No serious injuries were reported, but the fire caused extensive damage to the store, including loss of merchandise, smoke contamination and structural damage. Losses are estimated to be in the millions of dollars and the store remains closed for repairs.
Over the course of their investigation, police found that the fire originated in the bedding section, which was believed to have been set by Mendoza.
The following day, March 30, Mendoza was located in the nearby Extended Stay America hotel next to the Burbank Empire Center and taken into custody without incident.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to call the Burbank Police Department Investigations Division at 818-238-3210.