SAN FRANCISCO – In a shocking case of revenge gone wrong, 47-year-old David Jah of Concord, California, was sentenced to 216 months in prison for conspiracy to commit arson, in connection with a scheme to firebomb the properties of several people on his enemies list.
According to the evidence submitted at trial, Jah conspired with Kristopher Alexis-Clark, 27, of Vallejo, and Dennis Williams, 41, of Fairfield, to conduct multiple firebombings targeting the residences of people on Jah’s enemies list. The list contained the addresses of six individuals who Jah believed had wronged him, including two attorneys involved in the sale of his childhood home, the attorney who prosecuted the forcible detainer action removing Jah from his childhood home, the purchaser of Jah’s childhood home, his former neighbor at that home, and a San Francisco Deputy City Attorney who represented the San Francisco Police Department in an excessive force lawsuit filed by Jah’s son.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that the charged conspiracy began in October 2018, when Jah met a prostitute on a mobile dating application, who put him in touch with Alexis-Clark. Jah then provided the enemies list to Alexis-Clark, who recruited Williams to join the scheme. Over the next three weeks, Alexis-Clark and Williams drove by three of the homes on Jah’s enemies list in the middle of the night and attempted to throw Molotov cocktails through their windows.
According to text messages found on Jah’s phone, Jah offered them $800 to $5,000 to carry out these attacks. Hours before the first attack, Jah instructed an associate of his to send a text message to Alexis-Clark that read: “Light it up, call when done completely.” Shortly thereafter, on October 21, 2018, Alexis-Clark and Williams mistakenly firebombed the next-door neighbor of one of the intended victims by throwing a lit Molotov cocktail through the front window of their home, setting the living room on fire.
Then, on October 31, 2018, all three co-conspirators met in a casino in Pacheco to discuss further attacks. A few days later, on November 3, 2018, Alexis-Clark and Williams firebombed the homes of two more victims. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of these crimes.
Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds warned, “When Mr. Jah was unable to achieve his objectives in court, he turned to violence. That is never acceptable. Upholding the rule of law and the safety of the community is of the utmost importance, which is why we will continue to aggressively investigate and punish those who attempt to impede justice through violent intimidation.”
The sentencing was handed down by the Honorable William H. Alsup, U.S. District Judge. ATF Special Agent in Charge Patrick T. Gorman added, “Arson is a dangerous act of violence which poses a significant threat to the community. ATF continuously works diligently toward securing public safety. The defendant in this case conspired to commit horrific acts of violence on unsuspecting members of this community. I am thankful that no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of these crimes. This sentencing will undoubtedly send a message to anyone who considers conducting these types of violent acts that they will not be tolerated.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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