ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on a charge of malicious destruction of property by fire, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment named Tony Crawford, 32, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, Crawford set fire to the Fred’s Beds and Furniture building located at 117 East 12th Street in Erie on February 5, 2016.
"Any person who intentionally sets a fire is a danger to our community," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Sam Rabadi. "ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those responsible for committing arsons are held accountable."
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Erie Police Department and the Erie Fire Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
