Rashaad Cotton, Molotov Attack, St. Charles MO, 2021

ST. CHARLES, MO – A St. Louis man with a grudge and a penchant for homemade explosives is headed to federal prison after being sentenced Wednesday to five years for a brazen Molotov cocktail attack on a St. Charles restaurant. Rashaad Cotton, 25, of St. Louis County, unleashed a fiery assault on Sauce on the Side, located on Beale Street, in April 2021, after being terminated from his job there.

According to court documents, Cotton’s rage didn’t stop at the restaurant. Just twenty minutes prior to targeting Sauce on the Side, he hurled a Molotov cocktail onto a residential street in a quiet suburban area of St. Charles. The escalation culminated in a coordinated attack on the restaurant while it was occupied with diners. Cotton wasn’t alone; he was aided by a juvenile female accomplice who threw a firebomb at the restaurant’s patio.

The pair didn’t get far. They fled the scene in Cotton’s vehicle, but quickly crashed, leading to their arrest. Investigators from the St. Charles Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) quickly pieced together the events, revealing Cotton’s motive: pure, unadulterated revenge. During questioning, Cotton admitted he intended to simply “scare people” after being fired the night before, a pathetic justification for a dangerous and reckless act.

The attack could have been far worse. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the potential for devastating consequences was clear. Cotton ultimately pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in December to a felony charge of attempting to commit arson, acknowledging his culpability in the firebombing. The five-year sentence handed down Wednesday reflects the seriousness of the crime and the potential for harm.

This isn’t the end of Cotton’s legal troubles, however. He also faces pending charges in St. Charles County Circuit Court related to the attack, suggesting local authorities are seeking further justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the federal case, successfully securing the five-year prison term. The ATF’s Kansas City Field Division played a crucial role in the investigation.

The case serves as a stark reminder that workplace grievances do not justify violent acts. Cotton’s attempt to settle a score through arson has cost him five years of his life, and potentially more depending on the outcome of the St. Charles County charges. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.

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