Sacramento authorities levy nearly $3M in fines for illegal fireworks

Sacramento authorities have arrested two people and levied nearly $3 million in fines in connection with a large stockpile of illegal fireworks confiscated hours before a planned show in a North Natomas park on July 4.

The fines and arrests are part of a heightened crackdown on illegal pyrotechnic displays begun by the city in June.

“We’re trying to stress the importance of not using illegal fireworks in the city of Sacramento,” said Capt. Justin Sylvia, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Fire Department. “This year, we got pretty fortunate that we didn’t burn any structures down, but, last year, there were multiple structure fires all at one time. It’s a depletion of our resources, it causes damage and it displaces residents from their homes.”

Officials say they raided a gathering at Northlake Community Park in the Greenbriar neighborhood of North Natomas about 7 p.m. on Independence Day, acting on a tip that led them to three people preparing a show involving large fireworks that are illegal to set off without training and a permit. They seized 450 pounds of illegal pyrotechnics and arrested three people connected to the planned show — Tyrell Jevon Powell, Ivy Jones and Samuel Kinsey — according to Sylvia.

A new city ordinance aimed at curbing illegal fireworks displays increased the fines the city can assess for incidents near parks, schools or critical infrastructure, up to $10,000 for each pyrotechnic device found.

Powell, who had 223 devices, was fined $2.23 million. Kinsey, who had 42 fireworks was fined $420,000. Jones, who Sylvia said was to host the event, was fined $10,000 under the ordinance, which holds property owners and renters responsible in addition to those who possess the fireworks.

The assessments were mailed Friday, Sylvia said. Powell, 35, and Kinsey, 22, were arrested at the scene July 4, the Sacramento Police Department said in an email. They were booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of charges related to felony possession of illegal fireworks. Neither is currently listed as an inmate in online records at the jail.

The park has been the site of previous illegal fireworks displays, the department said.

“Illegal fireworks are dangerous, costly, and will not be tolerated,” the Sacramento Police Department said Wednesday on X.

The city previously said it had levied a total of $267,000 in fines against people accused of involvement in illegal fireworks displays during an Independence Day enforcement period that ran from July 2 through July 5, and issued 44 citations, previous reporting by The Sacramento Bee shows.

The citations against Powell, Jones and Kinsey brought those totals higher, Sylvia said.

In June, the city passed a new ordinance allowing year-round enforcement of fireworks regulations and fines of up to $10,000 for shooting them off near schools, parks and critical infrastructure. It also allows homeowners and renters to be held responsible if illegal fireworks are used on their property unless they take action to stop the displays.

“Illegal fireworks have caused significant damage and distress in our city,” Fire Marshal Jason Lee said in a news release at the time.

This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 1:51 PM.

Sharon Bernstein

The Sacramento Bee

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Sharon Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She has reported and edited for news organizations across California, including the Los Angeles Times, Reuters and Cityside Journalism Initiative. She grew up in Dallas and earned her master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley.