A 38-year-old man accused of throwing flares into a crowd during a soccer match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, resulting in an injury, has been found guilty of arson.

On Friday, U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that Orlando resident Giovanni Isai Ramirez Reyes has been convicted of arson of a building or property that led to personal injuries.

Ramirez Reyes was indicted on the arson charge in October of 2024.

According to court records, Ramirez Reyes was in attendance during Orlando City’s Major League Soccer (MLS) season opener vs. C.F. Montreal on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Inter&Co Stadium.

During the soccer match, Ramirez Reyes lit two flares and threw them into a crowd that was standing in a section of the stadium. The flares proceeded to ignite a larger fire, which damaged the facility.

One of the flares that was thrown into the crowd at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on February 24, 2024. (Photo: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida)
One of the flares that was thrown into the crowd at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on February 24, 2024. (Photo: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida)

In addition, a child who was attending the match sustained burns from the fire.

Ramirez Reyes is facing a minimum penalty of 7 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, January 12, 2026.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and Orlando Fire Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.