CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The man who set the fire that forced 130 people from an East Charlotte apartment complex pleaded guilty this week, but former residents told Channel 9 his punishment wasn’t enough.
Progress is being made to put new apartments along Farm Pond Lane after the fire in July 2017, but for some it’s too painful to go back.
“It changed my life forever,” former resident Renee Mack said.
She, her fiancé and 10-year-old son found a new apartment, but she said she thinks about the fire every day.
"We opened the door and looked, and all we seen was flames, and I started panicking; I started spinning around in circles," Mack said. "I still have panic attacks. I still have nightmares. It's hard."
She said it's been a struggle to keep up with a higher rent and replace everything lost. And now, she's sick over what the man behind it all is facing.
Jesus Lopez pleaded guilty to 32 counts of arson. He'll serve 51-74 months before being deported to his native Mexico.
"What he got, I just feel like that's not justice, not at all," Mack said.
Owner of the complex, David Fontana, agreed with his former tenant.
"It's not a harsh enough sentence," Fontana said.
He’s now focused on rebuilding and renovating the Woodscape apartment complex and welcoming back old tenants who are ready.
"For the tenants that are coming back, I really appreciate them I mean, it was a big family here before," Fontana said.
He plans to have all of the units completed by August, at the latest.
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