PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland man who admitted to setting fire to his apartment building in what prosecutors described as a hate crime was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison, following an arson that seriously injured two residents and endangered dozens of others.
Shaun Michael Szwarz, 41, was sentenced on July 8, 2026, by Multnomah County Judge Christopher Marshall in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
Szwarz pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault, four counts of first-degree bias crime, and one count of first-degree arson.
According to prosecutors, the July 11, 2025 fire broke out at approximately 5:52 a.m. inside the Vandalay Arms Apartments after Szwarz intentionally set fire to his unit. The flames quickly spread through three floors of the apartment building, placing numerous residents in danger.
Two people living in the apartment directly above Szwarz’s unit suffered serious injuries. Both sustained significant burns, and one victim also suffered broken bones after jumping from a balcony in an attempt to escape the fire.
Investigators said multiple residents identified Szwarz as the person responsible. Witnesses reported seeing or hearing him outside the building yelling profanities shortly before the fire erupted.
According to court documents, neighbors told investigators that Szwarz regularly engaged in disruptive behavior, often shouting obscenities about once a week. One resident reported that shortly before the fire, another neighbor confronted Szwarz after he allegedly shouted racial slurs, including the n-word, from his apartment window.
Investigators also learned from a former girlfriend that Szwarz had allegedly set fire to her room following an argument in 2023.
Deputy District Attorney Elena Langer, who prosecuted the case, said the sentence delivers justice for the victims and reflects the seriousness of both the arson and the bias crimes.
“The 20-year sentence in this case is one that brings justice to the victims and makes our community safer,” Langer said. “This sentence is the culmination of all the experiences of the victims at the Vandalay Arms Apartments and law enforcement’s diligent work on the case.”
Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said hate crimes inflict harm far beyond the immediate victims.
“When we see a hate crime like this, this is a crime that transcends and goes beyond the victims and harms our entire community,” Vasquez said. “We want to send a clear message to this community: Hate will not be tolerated.”
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office credited Portland Police Bureau Detective Meredith Hopper for leading the investigation and recognized members of Portland Fire & Rescue, including Fire Investigator Erin Spens, Senior Investigator Jason Andersen, Lt. Craig Gault, Lt. Wendy Stanley, Lt. Elizabeth Thompson, and Fire Investigator Rick Strubelt for their work on the case. Prosecutors also acknowledged MCDA Victim Advocate Karla Juarez for assisting the victims throughout the prosecution.
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