Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Arson of Minneapolis Pawn Shop
A devastating fire ripped through the Max It Pawn Shop on East Lake Street in Minneapolis, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The culprit behind the blaze has now been brought to justice, as 26-year-old Montez Terriel Lee, of Rochester, pleaded guilty to arson of the pawn shop.
According to his guilty plea, on May 28, 2020, Lee, along with others, broke into the Max It Pawn Shop and set fire to the building. Surveillance video footage showed Lee pouring a fire accelerant around the pawn shop and lighting the accelerant on fire. The fire destroyed the building.
A second video showed Lee standing in front of the burning pawn shop, where he could be heard saying, “[expletive] this place. We’re gonna burn this [expletive] down.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Lee will now face the consequences of his actions, as he awaits his sentencing. With his guilty plea, he has admitted to the charges of arson of a pawn shop, a federal offense. The exact sentence has not been determined, but it is clear that Lee will face prison time for his role in the destruction of the Max It Pawn Shop.
The arson of the Max It Pawn Shop was a senseless act of destruction that had serious consequences for the community. The guilty plea of Montez Terriel Lee serves as a reminder that those who commit such crimes will be held accountable.
Related Federal Cases
- Jennifer Marie Stately, Murder, Arson, Child Neglect, Minnesota 2024 · Alaska
- Niquan Odumn, Pawn Shop Gun Heist, Maryland 2023 · Washington
- Drew William Graves, Assault, Minnesota 2017 · Washington
- Jamaal Marquie Mays, Brandishing Firearms During Robbery, Minnesota… · Minnesota
- Percy Lee Strother Jr., Possession of Firearm by Felon, AL 2018 · Alaska
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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