2 Admit To Arson In 2025 Historic Tarrytown Lighthouse In Plea Deal

TARRYTOWN, NY — There will be a steep price to pay for teenage antics that nearly destroyed a Hudson Valley landmark.

Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced today that the two Westchester residents have pleaded guilty to intentionally setting a fire that caused more than $100,000 in damage to the historic Tarrytown Lighthouse in May 2025.

Elvin Ayavaca, 19, of White Plains, and Richard Joseph Barrero, 20, of Harrison, pleaded guilty on Monday to felony arson and criminal mischief.

Under the terms of the plea deal, each is required immediately to pay $50,000 in restitution, complete 150 hours of community service, and must avoid any further arrests.

If the defendants successfully comply, they will be permitted to withdraw their guilty pleas to the felony charge in a year and be sentenced to probation on the misdemeanor charge. If either defendant violates the terms of the agreement, he will be sentenced on the felony conviction.

A restitution judgment order in the amount of $80,959.20 will also be issued for each defendant, according to the plea deal.

Two additional defendants, who were under the age of 18 at the time of the offense, were charged as juveniles and prosecuted in Westchester Family Court. Because they are juveniles, their identities and the dispositions of their cases are confidential, according to the DA's office,

"The Tarrytown Lighthouse is a cherished piece of Westchester history, and the reckless and dangerous actions of these young men caused significant damage to an important community landmark," Cacace said. "The restitution we secured as part of their plea agreements sends a clear message that acts of vandalism against our community’s historic treasures will not be tolerated.”

On May 31, 2025, a Westchester County Parks employee discovered significant damage to the recently restored Tarrytown Lighthouse, located in Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow. The destruction included fire damage, broken windows, and the loss of irreplaceable antiques.

Lighthouse curators estimated the value of the damage at more than $100,000, noting that the Tarrytown Lighthouse was originally constructed between 1882 and 1883 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"This was a reckless and destructive attack on one of Westchester County's most treasured historic landmarks," Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said. "The guilty pleas send a clear message that those who vandalize and destroy public property will be held accountable. I thank District Attorney Susan Cacace and the investigators whose hard work led to this outcome. The Tarrytown Lighthouse has stood watch over the Hudson River for generations. While it sustained significant damage, the County acted quickly to restore this landmark, and it is once again open to the public. But we will never forget how close we came to losing it. We remain committed to protecting the places that tell the story of Westchester County, preserve our shared history, and belong to every resident."

The Westchester County Department of Public Safety handled the investigation, with assistance from the Sleepy Hollow Police Department and the White Plains Police Department.