Minneapolis, Minnesota — Investigations by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have led to charges against a number of individuals in connection to arson fires set during the recent Minneapolis riots.
This past week federal authorities arrested McKenzy Ann Degidio Dunn, Samuel Elliot Frey and Bailey Marie Baldus in connection with an arson fire at a St. Paul health and nutrition store. According to a press release from the ATF, the allegations in the criminal complaints say, on May 28, 2020, a health and nutrition store located in St. Paul, Minnesota, sustained damage due to vandalism and fire. On June 3, 2020, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) examined the store and determined that the fire and smoke damage was caused by arson. ATF investigators obtained video surveillance footage from inside the store on the night of the arson. Following ATF’s public request for tips and identifying information, investigators were able to identify DUNN, FREY and BALDUS in the surveillance video footage. FREY can be seen pouring flammable hand sanitizer onto a shelving unit and lighting it on fire. DUNN can be seen standing near the shelving unit holding a bottle of flammable hand sanitizer.
CAUTION: The court documents linked below contain strong, and sometimes vulgar language. Discretion is advised.
For more detailed information, read the following court records: The Criminal Complaint and Affidavit in the case can be found HERE.
Also last week, in an unrelated case, a federal indictment was issued for 28-year-old Matthew Lee Rupert, charging him with Civil Disorder, Rioting and Arson, according to the U.S Attorney’s Office for Minnesota. Rupert has reportedly been ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
For more information on the charges against Rupert, you’ll find the Federal Indictment HERE.
The U.S. Attorney for Minnesota has also announced a federal criminal complaint against 25-year-old Montez Terrill Lee of Rochester, Minnesota, charging him with Arson. Lee has reportedly been arrested in Rochester, Minnesota and is scheduled for his initial court appearance this Tuesday, June 16th in federal magistrate court.
According to the allegations in the complaint, on June 8, 2020, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received from an anonymous source video footage from an arson that took place on May 28, 2020, at a pawn shop located in Minneapolis. The video shows a masked man, later identified as LEE, pouring liquid from a metal container throughout the pawn shop. A second video shows LEE standing in front of the burning pawn shop and LEE can allegedly be heard saying, “[expletive] this place. We’re gonna burn this [expletive] down.”
For more information on the charges against Lee, you’ll find his Criminal Complaint HERE.
In an effort to obtain more information about arson committed during the riots that stemmed from the death of George Floyd, the ATF and St. Paul Fire Department are offering a total of $70,000 in rewards for information that leads to the identification and apprehension of a number of arson suspects wanted in connection with several arson fires set during the unrest.
For more information on the rewards, CLICK HERE.
Authorities remind us that all suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
