Abilene Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Arson and Assault

ABILENE, Texas —In a shocking case of violence and destruction, Kenneth Mark McWilliams, 54, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for throwing Molotov cocktails onto the roof of a convenience store in Abilene, resulting in injury to his ex-wife.

According to court documents, McWilliams pleaded guilty in September 2012 to a superseding information charging one count of maliciously damaging a building by fire resulting in personal injury. The incident occurred on May 31, 2010, when McWilliams went to Allsup’s Convenience Store, located on Ambler Avenue in Abilene, where his ex-wife was working.

Armed with Molotov cocktails, McWilliams lit two of them and threw both of them on the store’s roof, igniting a fire that caused significant damage to the building. His ex-wife and another female employee managed to escape the burning building, but McWilliams caught up to his ex-wife and held her against her will. He used a stun gun to shock her and tried to tie her with a rope.

When officers with the Abilene Police Department arrived at the scene, they saw McWilliams assaulting his ex-wife and subdued and restrained him. A search of McWilliams’ vehicle revealed several Molotov cocktails, and a diagram was found at his residence indicating a plan to carry out his assault on the convenience store, his ex-wife, and others.

The case was investigated by the Abilene Police Department, the Abilene Fire Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams prosecuted the case.

U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas announced the sentence. McWilliams has been in custody since his arrest following the incident in May 2010.

The sentence is a wake-up call for anyone who thinks they can commit such heinous crimes and get away with it. McWilliams’ actions were reckless and devastating, and he will now face the consequences of his actions for the next 20 years.

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