Special Eric Adams pressures federal authorities to charge immigrant who burned woman to death in NYC subway –

Mayor Eric Adams is pressing the federal government to charge a sadistic Guatemalan migrant who burned a woman to death on the subway — a move that could mean a harsher sentence.

Federal arson charges against firebug Sebastian Zapate-Calil will be piled on top of local murder and arson charges against the illegal immigrant, who is already facing trouble at the hands of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

City Hall spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak said, “Like all New Yorkers, Mayor Adams is deeply disturbed by the callous and despicable acts of which Sebastian Zepet-Calil has been accused.”

“To set another human being on fire and watch them burn alive represents a level of evil that cannot be tolerated,” Mamelak said.

“That’s why, in coordination with Police Commissioner (Jessica) Tisch, Mayor Adams has directed the NYPD to work within our legal authority and in partnership with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations team to prosecute Mr. Japete-Calil under federal arson charges. Criminal charges can be ascertained against him. Law.”

Under federal law, a conviction for arson carries a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

A federal arson charge resulting in injury to property used in interstate commerce could mean a maximum of 40 years under the law.

Sources said that since Japete-Calil is already facing local charges, it may have to be negotiated to allow the feds, rather than the state, to pursue the arson case.

It may also be easier to prosecute criminal cases under federal law than state law, a former prosecutor said.

“The rules of evidence and discovery under federal law are much less stringent than state law,” said James Quinn, former acting district attorney in the Queens DA’s office, where he served for 42 years.

Zapeta Calil is accused of burning a woman to death while she was sleeping on the F train in Coney Island on Sunday burnt badly Authorities struggled to identify him after the horrific attack.

Sources told The Post that Zepeta-Calil had returned to the country at some point after previously being deported. The accused Firebug first entered the US illegally at the Arizona border in 2018, but was caught days later and deported back home.

Adams’ statement is the latest sign of Adams’ Willing to co-operate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump to crack down on criminal immigrants.