Dakota Co. Courthouse Arson Accomplice Gets 5 Years In Prison
MINNEAPOLS (WCCO) -- A Long Lake man pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday for his role in an arson at a Dakota County government building.
Garrett Ziegler, 25, was sentenced to five years in prison for aiding and abetting arson, according to U.S. attorney Erica MacDonald.
A release from MacDonald's office states Ziegler and another man, Fornandous Henderson, who received a 78-month sentence in December, drove to the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley May 29. They broke multiple windows and threw Molotov cocktails inside.
The two men also attempted to start other fires at the building. Ziegler admitted to purchasing the materials to concoct the Molotov cocktails.
According to the U.S. attorney's office, Henderson chose the building because he had previous court appearances there and was angry at law enforcement because of George Floyd's death, which had happened just days prior. Ziegler echoed Henderson's sentiments about law enforcement.