A Covington resident, David Juarez, 39, has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for arson and unlawful possession of a destructive device. U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning handed down the 137-month sentence on Wednesday.

Juarez's plea agreement detailed his actions between March 6 and March 9, 2023. During this period, he set fire to two structures using an ignitable liquid and Molotov cocktails. Prior to February 28, 2023, and again before March 5, Juarez burglarized an apartment in Covington twice, stealing personal items each time. On March 6, he returned to the same apartment for another burglary. Before leaving that day, he poured and ignited a flammable liquid at two locations within the apartment.

The second incident occurred on March 9 when Juarez targeted a restaurant in Covington with arson. He used bottles of alcohol stolen during the first burglary to create Molotov cocktails and threw them into the restaurant. The quick response from the Covington Fire Department prevented significant damage by extinguishing the fire promptly.

Federal law mandates that Juarez serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for release. Following his incarceration, he will be under U.S. Probation Office supervision for three years.

The sentencing was announced by Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Louisville Field Division; and Chief Brian Valenti of the Covington Police Department.

The investigation was conducted collaboratively by ATF and the Covington Police Department with Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel King prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.