An alleged member of the notorious MS-13 gang, an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, is facing a lengthy prison sentence and deportation after admitting to setting fire to a business at the Gravenhurst Wharf.
Carlos Pena-Torrez, 36, of Toronto, appeared virtually in a Bracebridge courtroom and pled guilty to charges of arson.
The court proceedings revealed that the charges originated from an investigation by York Regional Police following a shooting incident on February 12, 2023, in which Pena-Torrez was implicated. In March 2025, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder related to the same case. Also last month, Pena-Torrez was sentenced to 12 years in prison on separate attempted murder conviction, stemming from an incident that occurred in Quebec in Janaury, 2023.
In relation to the arson charges, court heard surveillance footage collected during the investigation showed Pena-Torrez present at a residence in Toronto on March 21, 2023, before he travelled to Gravenhurst. Location tracking data indicated that he was in Gravenhurst between 1:48 a.m. and 2:28 a.m., during which time he set fire to a two-storey boat rental facility located on Steamship Bay Road. He departed Gravenhurst at 3:28 a.m. and returned to Toronto.
Investigators from the Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the blaze was ignited using gasoline. Text messages found on Pena-Torrez’s phone included screenshots of the location with the building highlighted, and a voice note captured him describing the sounds and colours of the fire as it started.
According to a report by CBC News, Pena-Torrez was one of three individuals charged in connection with a series of offences stemming from the February 2023 shooting, including attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The men were involved in a drive-by shooting in Schomberg that severely injured a victim who was out walking his dog. Authorities believe they were hired by an organized crime group but mistakenly targeted the wrong individual. It is suspected that the men are associated with the Mara Salvatrucha street gang, commonly known as MS-13, which has origins in El Salvador.
Pena Torrez was also sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to the attempted murder of a 78-year-old man in Laval, Quebec, as reported by the Montreal Gazette. The incident took place in 2023, with Torrez targeting Montreal Mafia leader Francesco “Chit” Del Balso.
Following his guilty plea for arson, Pena-Torrez was sentenced to two years in prison. The sentence will run concurrently with the 16 years he is already serving for attempted murder. The court has indicated that he is expected to be deported to his native Dominican Republic.
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