Three of four men who have pleaded guilty to their roles in setting the Minneapolis Third Precinct ablaze last spring have been sentenced to federal prison and will owe a combined $36 million in restitution.
The precinct, which was formerly located at East Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue South, was burned down in the riots that followed the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis a year ago.
In separate court proceedings, the three pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson. Dylan Shakespeare Robinson, 23, of Brainerd has been sentenced to 48 months, Branden Michael Wolfe, 23, of Minneapolis has been sentenced to 41 months and Davon De-Andre Turner, 25, of St. Paul has been sentenced to 36 months in prison. The three have also been ordered to pay $12 million in restitution each.
Robinson stood accused of breaching a fence and entering the Third Precinct where he lit a device on fire that was being held by and then thrown toward the building by an unidentified co-conspirator.
Wolfe is a former Menards employee who was fired after he bragged about stealing body armor, weapons, and ammunition belonging to the Minneapolis Police Department. Wolfe was arrested on June 3, 2020, wearing some of the items stolen from the precinct, including a police vest, a duty belt and a tactical baton. Wolfe also admitted to investigators that he pushed a wooden barrel into the fire at the precinct, court documents said.
Turner and an individual unknown to him at the time (later identified as co-defendant Bryce Michael Williams) worked together to light an incendiary device which they intended to use to start or further accelerate a fire.
Williams, 26, of Staples is expected to be sentenced in June and faces up to five years in prison.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
