Two men whovandalized and set fire to Westchester's historic Tarrytown Lighthouse have pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $80,000 each in restitution but could avoid a felony conviction, the Westchester District
Attorneys Office said.
Some of the restitution will go to the Lyndhurst Mansion, a Tarrytown historic landmark, which the defendants were also suspected of vandalizing the same week as the lighthouse but never charged for that. The total amount of damage at the two sites was approximately $180,000.
Elvin Ayavaca, 19, of White Plains, and Richard Joseph Barrero, 20, of Harrison, pleaded guilty Monday, Aug. 3, to third-degree arson, a felony, and fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.
Westchester Judge Erin McGoey promised that if they each initially pay $50,000, complete 150 hours of community service and avoid further arrests for a year, the felony charges will be dropped and they will be sentenced to probation for the misdemeanor.
If either fails to comply with those conditions, he will face up to 15 years in prison on the arson charge.
The Lyndhurst vandalism had not previously been made public and details about what was damaged there were not immediately available. The executive director could not be reached Tuesday morning. The DA's Office said that the cost to repair that damage was $13,500, with that amount going to Lyndhurst from the initial $100,000 the defendants pay.
District Attorney Susan Cacace suggested in a statement that recouping the money it cost to repair the lighthouse would justify sparing the men felony convictions.
A restitution judgment for $80,959.20 would also be filed against the two men together in the event they have access to additional funds but that money is not tied to the plea conditions.
"The restitution we secured as part of their plea agreements sends a clear message that acts of vandalism against our community’s historic treasures will not be tolerated,” Cacace said.
The lighthouse along the Hudson River is in the county's Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It had undergone a 3-year renovation but was back open for tours when a parks employee discovered the vandalism on the morning of May 31, 2025.
There was significant fire damage and broken windows on the first two floors; valuable antiques and other items were destroyed; and antique books were strewn on the floor.
Ayavaca, Barrero and two 17-year-olds were seen on video climbing over the locked gate to access the bridge that leads to the lighthouse at around 3:30 that Saturday morning. All four were identified by county police and arrested within days.
The younger two had their cases handled in Family Court, sparing them any criminal conviction. The DA's Office did not reveal the disposition of their cases because of their ages.
The damage was repaired and the lighthouse opened to the public again four months ago.
County Executive Ken Jenkins called the lighthouse one of Westchester's most treasured landmarks and the vandalism "a reckless and destructive act."
"We remain committed to protecting the places that tell the story of Westchester County, preserve our shared history, and belong to every resident," he said in a statement.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Two plead guilty in vandalism at historic Tarrytown Lighthouse
