St. Louis, MO - ANTONIO WHITESIDE of St. Louis County pled guilty this morning and admitted to starting a fire inside the Ferguson Supermarket, Inc. on Nov. 24, 2014, the date St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch announced the grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson.
Whiteside pled guilty to one count of attempted arson before United States District Judge John A. Ross. Sentencing has been set for July 23, 2015.
Whiteside faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
United States Attorney Richard Callahan noted that it was the close cooperation between the county and federal law enforcement officers that enabled law enforcement to solve the case. The charge was the result of a joint investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department’s Bomb and Arson Unit and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office also provided significant assistance.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
