Sex offender hit with 2 new Berkeley arson cases
Authorities say Lavell Young was caught on camera setting a tent on fire, threatening buildings on Channing Way.
A man has been charged with felony arson in connection with two fires near UC Berkeley in recent weeks, court records show.
In charging papers, Berkeley police said one of the fires grew large enough to threaten several commercial structures on Channing Way.
The other fire was several feet from a commercial building, "creating a hazard" in a "high-density area," police wrote.
Authorities say Lavell Young, 43, set a tent on fire June 30 at about 1 a.m. in the 2500 block of Channing Way.
The fire spread to a nearby tent and was captured on CCTV footage, BPD wrote.
On Tuesday, police arrested Young (no address) after he was caught on video setting a shirt on fire — resulting in 1-foot flames at Telegraph Avenue and Bancroft Way at about 1:20 a.m., according to charging papers.
Lavell Young. BPD
Police wrote that Young said he "tossed a cigarette" toward the tent that burned June 30 and "admitted to setting the shirt on fire" this week.
The Alameda County DA's office charged him Thursday with two counts of felony arson.
According to charging papers, Young has prior convictions for criminal threats, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, home burglary, failure to register as a sex offender and forced oral copulation of an incompetent person.
The sex crime conviction took place in Madera County in 2002, according to charging papers.
The complaint also alleges a new strike in addition to two or more prior strikes.
There have been nearly 40 arson reports in 2025, a 36% increase.
As of Thursday, Young was being held on $50,000 bail and his arraignment was set for Friday.
Arson is one of the few categories of serious crime that is up in Berkeley this year, according to BPD data.
There have been nearly 40 arson reports in 2025, a 36% increase.
