1 Sentenced, 1 Pleads Guilty To Setting Fire To Historic Eagan City Hall
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man has been sentenced to prison and another man has entered a guilty plea for their role in the arson of the Historic Eagan City Hall three years ago, according to the Dakota County Attorney's Office.
Michael Duane Damron, 53, of Prior Lake was sentenced Friday to 84 months – or seven years – in prison for the Sept. 8, 2013, incident. He pleaded guilty in mid-October to one count of first-degree arson, which is a felony. He also pleaded guilty to a burglary charge and was sentenced to 30 months in prison, which will be served concurrently.
Damron's brother and co-defendant, 51-year-old Wynn Donald Arvidson also of Prior Lake, pleaded guilty to first-degree arson and will face sentencing Jan. 12, 2017.
According to the criminal complaint, Damron was upset with Eagan officials after unsuccessfully suing Eagan and Inver Grove Heights for $12 million. The Damron/Arvidson family believed police had taken items belonging to them during the course of a 2006 criminal investigation into multiple thefts.
Authorities say Damron has a history of writing threatening letters to various officials and vandalism against entities he's upset with.
In addition to a prison sentence, Damron was ordered to pay restitution to the city of Eagan ($286,395.62), the Eagan Fire Department ($21,895) and the victim in the burglary case ($158,658.59).
