An unhoused woman has been charged with federal arson following a fire at a commercial storage warehouse in Albuquerque. According to court documents, Samantha Lee, 41, is accused of setting the fire on October 14, 2024. The warehouse was used by both the Crowne Plaza Hotel and The Querque Hotel and is located on Menaul Blvd NE.
Lee faces one count of arson and will remain in custody until her trial, which is set for February 10, 2026. If convicted, she could be sentenced to between five and twenty years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Shawn Stallo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the charges.
The ATF led the investigation with help from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is handling prosecution for the case.
Authorities have asked anyone with information about this case or other possible crimes involving Lee to contact the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS or via email at ATFTips@atf.gov.
“An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
