The Department of Justice apprehended a suspect Sunday in connection with Sen. Bernie Sanders' Vermont office fire, which is being investigated as arson.
In a press release, the DOJ said Shant Soghomonian, 35, formerly of Northridge, California, was detained Sunday on allegations of using fire to damage a building in Burlington, Vermont, where Sanders has an office.
Court records say Soghomonian entered the building Friday morning and went to Sanders' Burlington office on the third level. According to the DOJ, security footage shows the defendant sprinkling a liquid near the office's outer door before lighting it with a hand-held lighter and starting a fire.
The DOJ stated the fire damaged Sanders' office door and surrounding areas and discharged sprinklers on many floors. Multiple Sanders employees were in the office, but they were not hurt, officials said. Unknown number of building residents were present, however no injuries were reported.
He stated, “I am deeply grateful to the swift, professional, coordinated efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement in response to the fire at my Vermont office on Friday.” "I am also thankful that none of the many people in the office building during the fire were injured."
On Friday, firefighters were called to Sanders' sole congressional office in the state. A fire department news release said they found “a fire in the vestibule between the elevator and the entrance door to [Sanders’] office.”
Kathryn Van Haste, Sanders' state director, stated Friday that no building staff were injured. Sanders was not in the building.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle has not scheduled Soghomonian's first appearance. If convicted, he faces five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Whether Soghomonian pleaded is uncertain.
Follow for more updates