Kaster Sentenced for Arson

A Columbia, Missouri, man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole for the arson at the Columbia Health Center, operated by Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Wesley Brian Kaster, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of maliciously using explosive materials to damage a building owned by an organization that receives federal financial assistance, and one count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Kaster admitted that he manufactured a Molotov cocktail on Feb. 10, 2019, and threw it into the facility, causing damage. The Columbia Fire Department arrived on the scene and collected evidence, which led to Kaster’s arrest on March 2, 2019.

Kaster has remained in federal custody without bond since his arrest. U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes handed down the sentence, which was the result of an investigation by the Columbia Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the FBI.

The U.S. Attorney’s office stated that Kaster’s actions placed the community in an unacceptable risk of danger and that the use of violence and arson to achieve personal political or policy goals will not be tolerated. The FBI’s special agents were praised for their outstanding investigative skills in locating and evaluating the evidence that enabled them to identify the arsonist and bring him to justice quickly.

The case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. Kaster’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would use violence to intimidate or harm others, particularly those providing reproductive health services.

In a statement, the U.S. Attorney’s office emphasized that the attack on the Planned Parenthood clinic is the antithesis of everything for which the best ideals of the nation have always stood. The sentence handed down to Kaster reflects the seriousness with which the justice system takes such crimes and the commitment to protecting the rights and safety of all individuals.