Jacqueline Rivera

An 18-year-old Redwood City woman accused of slipping into an ex-boyfriend’s home and torching his bed while he slept because she thought he was unfaithful pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of attempted murder and arson.

Jacqueline Alexandra Rivera is also charged with residential burglary in the April 26 incident that left the 21-year-old man with minor burns on his arms and hands that required treatment at the hospital. After entering her plea, Rivera was scheduled for a preliminary hearing June 28.

Although the alleged arson happened last month, Rivera’s ex-boyfriend did not report the incident until weeks later after her friend sent him text messages saying she had confessed to the crime. Rivera was arrested May 7 and has been held on $500,000 bail since.

According to authorities, in the very early hours of the morning in question, Rivera knocked on the first-floor bedroom window of the San Mateo home where he lived with his parents and sister. She reportedly asked to talk about their relationship, was denied, and returned with the same request an hour later. After she left the second time, the man went to bed but told authorities he awoke around 5:45 a.m. to find his mattress on fire. He screamed for his father who put out the flames with a garden hose. The victim later told authorities he did not alert police or firefighters because he believed Rivera was responsible but didn’t think he could prove it.

Two weeks later, the man said he received a text message from a woman, later identified as Rivera’s friend, who told him the defendant was responsible for the fire and had made several comments about plans to hurt him.

If convicted, Rivera faces between 10 and 15 years in prison.