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Mount Carmel arson suspect nabbed 15 years later

Fugitive Jerry Dimitratos is accused of setting fire to his family's restaurant in Mount Carmel in 2008.

MOUNT CARMEL, Pa. — A man is behind bars in Northumberland County, 15 years after police say he fled to Greece to avoid prosecution. Jerry Dimitratos is accused of setting fire to his family's restaurant in Mount Carmel in 2008.

That fire destroyed Yanni's Family Restaurant, and Dimitratos' parents said he admitted to the arson in a note before fleeing to Greece.

Thursday started as a normal day on the job for Mount Carmel Police Chief Chris Buhay and Lt. William Adamski. The two were on patrol.

"We got called to a smoke in a structure call on West 3rd Street in Mount Carmel," Adamski recalled.

It turned out to be a malfunctioning furnace. While at the home, Chief Buhay thought one of the people there looked familiar.

"The male that we were speaking to was a person that was arrested for an arson back in 2008," Chief Buhay said.

The arson happened at Yanni's Family Restaurant on Oak Street in October 2008. Mount Carmel police believe the owners' son Jerry Dimitratos started the fire.

"He fled to Greece back in 2008 when he was charged with an arson, and he had been gone the whole time."

It was Chief Buhay's case back in 2008, and even though Dimitratos was wearing a mask on Thursday, the chief recognized him.

"After chief Buhay recognized him, he just asked Mr. Dimitratos if he forgot," Lt. Adamski said. "He didn't say anything. He just put his hands behind his back, and we took him into custody."

Dimitratos told police he's only been back in the United States since Monday and came back because of a sick family member. Lt. Adamski says it's ironic that Dimitratos was in trouble because he allegedly started a fire, and now he's been arrested 15 years later after another smoky situation.

Dimitratos also has other outstanding charges in addition to the arson. He is currently at the Northumberland County jail.

Credit: WNEP

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