Plea deals eyed for California men in deadly December 2016 warehouse fire

OAKLAND » Two men are expected to accept plea bargains with prison time Tuesday after each was charged with dozens of counts of involuntary manslaughter in a California warehouse fire that killed partygoers at an unlicensed concert.

Derick Almena, 48, and Max Harris, 28, will accept the agreements in exchange for prison sentences of less than 10 years each, said Tony Serra, a lawyer for Almena.

With good behavior, they could be released after serving half their sentences.

At the request of a judge, defense attorneys withheld further details about the deals until the defendants appear in court.

Alameda County prosecutor Teresa Drenick declined to comment.

Authorities say Almena rented the warehouse and illegally converted it into an entertainment venue and residences. Harris is accused of helping Almena collect rent and schedule forprofit music shows.

Prosecutors say the men turned the cluttered building into a “death trap” with few exits, rickety stairs and dark and dangerous passageways.

Each man was charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter — one count for each person who died in the blaze.

The fire quickly destroyed the structure during a December 2016 electronic music performance.

David Gregory, whose 20-yearold daughter, Michela Gregory, was among the victims, said he was shocked that the sentences were so short.

“These people are going to be out in a few years and walking the streets,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle. “They’re getting a sweet deal, and they’re going to do easy time.”

Sami Kopelman, the mother of 34-year-old victim Edmond Lapine, said also thinks the sentences are too lenient. She said she would have liked to see each defendant get 36 years in prison, one year for each life lost.

“I don’t want my son’s life or those of the other victims, no matter what their circumstances were for being there, I don’t want the value of their lives to be lessened by a sweep aside,” Kopelman told the East Bay Times.

Almena lived in the warehouse with his wife and three children. The family was staying in a nearby hotel on the night of the fire. Harris also lived in the warehouse and escaped the fire unharmed.