A Belleville resident has pleaded guilty in federal court to an arson charge related to a fire at a Lebanon, Illinois gas station. Carlos A. Rodriguez, 33, admitted to one count of arson of real property used in interstate commerce. His sentencing is set for January 7, 2026.
Court documents state that on the evening of September 10, 2018, Rodriguez visited the CC Food Mart in Lebanon. While inside the men’s bathroom, he set fire to a plastic air freshener attached to the wall before leaving the store.
Customers and employees noticed smoke and discovered an active fire in the restroom about seven minutes after Rodriguez left.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Fire Research Laboratory reconstructed the restroom and conducted experiments to determine how quickly such a fire could spread. These tests helped rule out other individuals who had used the restroom that night.
The incident resulted in approximately $6,000 worth of damage due to both the fire and firefighting efforts.
According to federal law, arson involving real property used in interstate commerce carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to twenty years in prison. Fines can reach $250,000 with up to three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The ATF led the investigation with support from the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office and Lebanon Police Department. The Lebanon Fire Department responded at the scene. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke is prosecuting this case.
