A devastating fire ripped through two department stores at Fort Worth’s Hulen Mall in May 2018, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos in its wake. Now, the man behind the blaze is facing the music.
Craig Michael Tezeno, 46, of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the Hulen Mall arson, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
In July, Tezeno pleaded guilty to igniting several Molotov cocktails inside the Dillard’s and Sears department stores at Hulen Mall. According to court documents, Tezeno admits he lit a rag stuffed into a glass bottle filled with gasoline and placed it on the floor of Dillard’s department store on May 11.
Later that same day, Tezeno lit a similar device inside a Sears. He returned to the same Sears a week later and ignited a third device, hoping to start a fire and damage the store.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Worth Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Fort Worth Fire Department’s Arson Investigations Unit, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, and FBI Task Force Officers from the Tarrant County Sherriff’s Office, the Arlington Police Department, the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Weimer prosecuted the case, ensuring that Tezeno would face justice for his crimes.
Tezeno’s sentence is a harsh reminder that arson is a serious crime with severe consequences. It’s a warning to others who might consider engaging in similar behavior: the consequences will be severe and the punishment will be harsh.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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