RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The brother-in-law of a man accused of setting a Riverside County blaze that killed five firefighters has been ordered to stand trial for jury tampering.
A county judge ruled Thursday that there's enough evidence to try 48-year-old Christopher Hillman of Hesperia on seven counts.
Authorities claim that during Raymond Lee Oyler's trial for arson and murder last year, Hillman left copies of newspaper articles about the case on jurors' windshields. Hillman, who isn't in custody, could face seven years in prison if convicted.
The jury convicted Oyler of setting the 2006 Esperanza fire that destroyed 34 homes and killed five U.S. firefighters. He's on death row.
A call to Hillman's attorney, Nancy Lord of Nevada, wasn't immediately returned.
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