Fact Check: Viral Video Claiming Arrest of Indian National "Bhuvesh Patel" in Woodland Hills is False

Created By:  Logically Facts

Co-Published By: LokmatTimes.com

A viral 47-second video circulating on social media platforms, including X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, claims to show a police officer detaining an individual identified as “Bhuvesh Patel,” an Indian national allegedly attempting to start a fire for looting in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. The video, which includes overlaid text stating, “WE HELPED CATCH A GUY TRYING TO START A FIRE ON MY BLOCK,” has garnered over 132,000 views and more than 1,000 shares. The post, originally uploaded on X, includes the caption, “Pajeet, Bhuvesh Patel (Hindu) was caught trying to start a fire with torch blower for looting in areas devastated by fires 📍 Woodland Hills, CA.”

However, this claim is false. Fact-checking organization Logically Facts found that the individual in the video is not named Bhuvesh Patel and is not an Indian national. Instead, the individual in question has been identified as Juan Manuel Sierra, a 33-year-old Mexican national. Multiple news sources, including the Los Angeles Times and Newsweek, report that Sierra was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on January 10, 2025. He was apprehended for violating felony probation after allegedly attempting to start a fire in the West Hills area, near the location of the Kenneth Fire.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Sierra was found with a blowtorch and was later arrested. Additional footage from a similar angle, appearing in both the viral video and a Newsweek report, shows the same man being confronted by residents before being detained by police officers. In both videos, Sierra is seen wearing dark clothing with long hair, near a tree and a bicycle. The visual details match, confirming that the individual in question is indeed Juan Manuel Sierra.

Further investigation by Logically Facts, including a reverse image search on keyframes from the viral video, led to user-generated content on Instagram. The video was shared by the Instagram user ‘reresellsvroomvrooms’ on January 10, 2025, with similar text overlaid, indicating that it was filmed by the user.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also released a statement confirming that the individual in the viral video is Juan Manuel Sierra, a Mexican citizen who entered the U.S. unlawfully. ICE stated that Sierra was arrested for felony probation violations and for his involvement in attempting to start a fire in connection with the California fires.

Conclusion: The individual in the viral video is Juan Manuel Sierra, a Mexican immigrant, not an Indian national named "Bhuvesh Patel." The claims circulating on social media regarding the individual's identity are false. Multiple credible news sources and official statements from ICE have confirmed that Sierra is the person arrested in Woodland Hills for attempting to start a fire.

This story was originally published by Logically Facts  and republished by LokmatTimes.com  as part of the Shakti Collective.