Alpine Man Charged in U.S. Post Office Arson

In a brazen overnight attack on federal property, 59-year-old Karl Henry Peterson of Alpine was arrested and charged with intentionally setting the U.S. Post Office in Alpine ablaze early morning October 20, 2016. The fire ripped through the building, leaving behind charred walls, ruined equipment, and a community on edge.

Federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal complaint today in Alpine accusing Peterson of one count of arson involving a federal facility. According to the affidavit, evidence gathered by fire investigators points to deliberate ignition—no accidental cause was found. The blaze caused extensive structural and operational damage, disrupting mail services for days in the remote West Texas town.

Peterson remains in federal custody ahead of his initial court appearance scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Fannin at the Federal Courthouse in Alpine. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to twenty years in federal prison—no parole, no second chances.

The investigation was a joint push by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Alpine Police Department. Agents moved fast, tracing accelerant patterns and witness statements that led directly to Peterson. Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez of the Postal Inspection Service’s Houston Division called the attack a direct assault on public trust and federal infrastructure.

Assistant United States Attorney James J. Miller, Jr. is prosecuting the case for the federal government. U.S. Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr. emphasized that attacks on federal buildings are taken as seriously as attacks on any federal agent: ‘This wasn’t just a fire—it was sabotage against the American people.’

A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. Karl Henry Peterson is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case continues to unfold as forensic teams finalize their reports and prosecutors prepare for trial.