Fourth man sentenced for burning Minneapolis police station, ordered to pay $12 million

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge on Monday sentenced the last of four men who pleaded guilty to burning a Minneapolis police station last summer.

Prosecutors said U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz sentenced 27-year-old Bryce Michael Williams to two years and five months in prison and ordered him to help pay $12 million in restitution for the damage.

Williams was in a crowd of more than 1,000 people who gathered outside the station during a May 28, 2020, protest over the death of George Floyd. Williams entered the station and lit a Molotov cocktail, which Davon De-Andre Turner used to light a fire, according to court documents.

Schiltz gave Williams less time than prescribed by federal sentencing guidelines, calling him a “good person who made a terrible mistake.” But the judge rejected Williams’ request for probation only, describing him as a leader in the crowd that night.

Williams told Schiltz on Monday that he was ashamed of his actions and he’ll never forget the pain he’s caused, the Star Tribune reported.

A federal grand jury indicted Williams, Turner, Dylan Shakespeare Robinson and Branden Michael Wolfe together on one count each of conspiracy to commit arson. Schiltz sentenced Turner to three years, Robinson to four years and Wolfe to three years and five months.