On May 15, 2025, a federal criminal complaint was filed against Jarriel Cotton, age 40, charging him with arson of a building used in interstate commerce. This charge is in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i). The announcement was made by Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
The complaint states that on May 13, 2025, shortly before 7:00 a.m., Cotton intentionally set fire to an upholstered chair on the third floor of the downtown Milwaukee MATC campus building located at 700 W. State Street. The incident was recorded on video. Cotton appeared in federal court on May 16, and his next hearing is scheduled for May 21. He remains in federal custody.
Cotton has a previous conviction for arson from a separate incident in Milwaukee County Circuit Court in 2015.
If convicted of the current charges, Cotton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment and may be fined up to $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the Milwaukee Police Department and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick.
It is important to note that "a criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt." The defendant "is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
