Luis Mojica-Castro

MAYVILLE – A Jamestown man accused of setting a woman on fire in late 2017 has been sentenced to 21 years in state prison.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson says 38-year-old Luis Castro-Mojica was sentenced Monday in county court after he pleaded guilty in January to first-degree assault. Castro-Mojica was arrested in December 2017 for setting a woman on fire during a domestic incident.

The woman received burns to her face, head and torso and was taken to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo where she remained in critical condition for an extended time.

“First and foremost, I want to thank the Jamestown Police Department for their outstanding work on this case,” Swanson said in a statement. “The quick response of every officer involved in this case needs to be commended. [Assistant District Attorney] Lynn Schaffer prosecuted this case for my office and her close work with the family and the resolution she worked tirelessly for evinces the effort she put in on this case. I want to thank her for her extraordinary work.”

“This case reminds us of the evil doers that law enforcement is there to protect us from and bring to justice,” Swanson added. “The actions of this man were inconceivable and leave us wondering why a person would do this to another person. But it also reminds us that there are good guys wearing blue that go to work for us every day to protect our families. Their quick response in this case has resulted in the elimination of a real danger to our society for the next 21 years. My hope is that this man does not have the opportunity to harm anyone again.”