A Rockford man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of arson. The indictment alleges that James Purifoy, aged 50, maliciously destroyed a building at 201 15th Ave. in Rockford using fire and explosive materials on January 22, 2023. The arraignment for Purifoy has not yet been scheduled.
The announcement of the indictment was made by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Both the Rockford Fire Department and Rockford Police Department assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus represents the government in this case.
Authorities remind the public that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. "The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." If convicted on these charges, Purifoy faces a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison with a maximum potential sentence of up to 20 years. The Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and advisory guidelines.
