A Henderson County man has been charged with arson after allegedly destroying two pumping stations in Athens, Texas, that served hundreds of homes.
Brandon Blake Neeley, 19, of Athens, was arrested on October 5, 2020, as he attempted to leave the scene of a fire at the Dogwood Estates Water Company Pump No. 2 building.
Four days earlier, on October 1, 2020, another building belonging to Dogwood Estates that housed Pump No. 4 was also set ablaze. Dogwood Estates Water Company serves more than 400 Athens-area homes.
The two fires caused more than $200,000 in damage and forced the company to use a backup pump not designed to bear the full load of customer demands. Customers have been asked to limit their water usage until the burned pumps can be repaired or replaced.
“The destruction of the Dogwood Estates Pumps threatened water access for numerous Athens residents who rely on the pumping station to go about their daily lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Neeley is charged with arson of property used in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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