Roberson Hit with Arson, Fraud Counts in Fatal Fire Plot

HOUSTON – The grim narrative of a tragic house fire in Huntsville, Texas, took an even darker turn this week as 52-year-old Mario Raynard Roberson faced federal charges for his alleged role in the blaze that led to two deaths.

Roberson, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, was arrested in the Houston area and is currently before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray. A federal grand jury returned a 12-count indictment against him on July 1, 2023.

The charges include conspiracy to commit arson against a property used in interstate or foreign commerce resulting in death—a crime that carries a possible life sentence if convicted. The prosecution also levies nine counts of wire fraud for Roberson’s alleged attempts to defraud the insurance company, which held a policy on the home where the fire occurred.

According to the indictment, Roberson was not just an orchestrator but a participant in the deadly act. He is accused of recruiting individuals to ignite the fire at his residence with the intent of filing a fraudulent insurance claim. The tragic outcome of this plot was the death of two people during the arson attempt.

U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei commented on the case, stating, “The defendant is alleged to have orchestrated a scheme to collect an insurance payout through a purported racially-motivated arson, which led to two deaths. Now that he is in federal custody, he will answer these charges, and if found guilty, be held accountable for the death of these two men.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Zenón-Matos, Byron Black, and Alexander Alum are handling the prosecution of this case. The FBI – Bryan Resident Agency conducted the investigation. As always, an indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence, and Roberson is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

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