Nashville, Tennessee – A Hendersonville man was sentenced to federal prison for his participation in the arson of the Metro Courthouse on May 30, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Wesley Somers, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger, to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The incident occurred during protests in downtown Nashville following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Several persons gathered in front of the Nashville City Hall, also known as the Metro Courthouse, and began smashing the windows of the premises and spraying graffiti on the Courthouse facade. The interior of the Courthouse was also set on fire.
Records filed with the Court also indicate that after Somers was arrested and booked into the Davidson County Jail, he reveled in his newfound fame and related during a phone call that he was a celebrity among other inmates and had been nicknamed “Protest.”
Somers was charged in a criminal complaint on June 3, 2020, and was soon identified by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department – Specialized Investigation Division, after receiving numerous tips from citizens.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the FBI; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Schrader and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
The exact criminal charges against Somers were not specified in the press release. Somers and Shelby Ligons, 23, of Nashville, Tenn., were indicted on October 20, 2020. Somers pleaded guilty on June 29, 2021. Shelby Ligons pleaded guilty on March 3, 2021. She was sentenced on August 11, 2021, to a year and a day in prison.
Related Federal Cases
- Wesley Somers, Federal Arson Charges, Tennessee 2021 · North Carolina
- Abdullahi Farah, Contempt of Court and Obstruction of Justice, Tennessee 2023 · North Carolina
- Jermaine Dickerson, Bomb Threat Call, IA 2016 · Tennessee
- Dantoni Colbert, Edward Matthews, Arson, Tennessee 2024 · Tennessee
- James Joseph, Coup Attempt, North Carolina 2022 · Tennessee
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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