LITTLE ROCK, AR
A devastating fire that ravaged the Stuttgart Courthouse Annex in September 2014 has led to the arrest of Donald Aaron, a 45-year-old Stuttgart man, who has been charged with arson.
The ATF investigation, which took a lead role in investigating the fire, determined that the blaze was incendiary, or intentionally set. The fire destroyed the Stuttgart Courthouse Annex Building at 312 South College, which housed the Arkansas County Sheriff’s Office, offices of the Arkansas State Police, the 911 coordinator, the Office of Emergency Management, the Arkansas County Tax Assessor and County Tax Collector, the County Judge and the Emergency Operations Center.
The fire not only destroyed millions of taxpayer dollars but also put the lives of people in the area at risk when the 911 operations were not operational. Thankfully, 911 operations were able to be rerouted, and the services were able to relocate and continue serving the citizens of the Stuttgart area.
Aaron was arrested Monday morning in Stuttgart and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge J. Thomas Ray Monday afternoon. He was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending trial.
If convicted, Aaron will face a statutory minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment on each count. The estimated damage from the fire was $2.5-$3 million. During suppression and clean-up efforts following the fire, a Stuttgart city employee was injured in a construction equipment accident.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, with assistance from several law enforcement agencies, including the Stuttgart Police Department, Stuttgart Fire Department, Arkansas County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Arkansas County Office of Emergency Management, and Arkansas Community Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Givens.
An indictment contains only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Related Federal Cases
- Peter Francis Stager, Assaulting Officers with a Dangerous Weapon, Arkansas 2023 · Michigan
- Richard Barnett, Capitol Breach, Arkansas 2021 · District of Columbia
- Levi White, Excessive Force, Arkansas 2022 · Arkansas
- Musab Mohammed Masmari, Arson, Washington 2014 · Florida
- Mark Duane Fuston, Conspiracy to Commit Arson, Washington 2003 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
