Man charged in Vernon arson has 30 previous criminal convictions
The 41-year-old man arrested yesterday in connection with a fire that gutted a Vernon townhouse has an extensive criminal record containing dozens of charges going back decades. Lorne William Paananen, who has also used the alias Lorne Munn, was charged with arson damaging property...
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The 41-year-old man arrested yesterday in connection with a fire that gutted a Vernon townhouse has an extensive criminal record containing dozens of charges going back decades.
Lorne William Paananen, who has also used the alias Lorne Munn, was charged with arson damaging property after a townhouse in the 4200-block of 20 Street was gutted by a fire the night of July 18.
Paananen, born 1981, was arrested the following morning.
While this appears to be Paananen's first charge of arson, his criminal record in B.C. goes back more than 20 years and contains over 30 separate charges.
While most of Paananen's offences took place in Surrey and Langley he was recently convicted for making or possessing explosives for an incident that took place in Kelowna in 2019.
He pleaded guilty to the charge and in December 2021 he was released from prison having served 90 days in pre-trial custody. He was also put on probation for two years.
Over the years Paananen has been charged with multiple counts of theft and possession of stolen property worth more than $5,000.
He also has charges for stealings cars and possessing stolen credit cards.
In 2003 he was convicted of assault causing bodily harm for an incident that took place two years earlier in Langley.
He's been ticketed for excessive speeding and been caught driving while he was banned at least eight times.
He's also been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and breached his probation multiple times.
Following his arrest for arson, he is now in custody and is scheduled for a bail hearing July 22.
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