Almena, 50, pleaded guilty in January to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in exchange for a 12-year sentence. Almena apologized to the victims and said he was “sick with shame.”"My shame cannot stand as any defense against what I am responsible for. The Dec. 2, 2016, inferno broke out at the warehouse during an electronic music event, trapping victims on the illegally constructed second floor. Prosecutors said the victims got no warning and had little chance to escape down a narrow, ramshackle staircase. Last year, the Oakland City Council agreed to pay just over $33 million to settle civil lawsuits filed on behalf of the victims.

Source: ABC News March 09, 2021 02:04 UTC