Illinois Man Matthew Rupert Sentenced To 105 Months For Setting Fire To Minneapolis Store During Unrest
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - An Illinois man was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for setting fire to a boarded up Sprint store in Minneapolis following the unrest after the murder of George Floyd last summer.
Court documents show Matthew Lee Rupert, 29, posted on social media on May 28, 2020 that he was going to Minneapolis. The Galesburg resident referenced protests in the Twin Cities and asked if anyone was coming with him.
The next day, Rupert went live on Facebook showing that he was in Minneapolis and announced that he came "to riot." The video shows him handing out artillery-shell fireworks, encouraging violence against law enforcement, and damaging property.
According to the guilty plea, the video also shows him asking for lighter fluid before entering the Sprint store on Nicollet Avenue. He then canvassed the store, knocked down some boxes, doused them in lighter fluid, and told another person - who at the time was a juvenile - to light the store on fire.
"Matthew Rupert chose to drive more than 400 miles from his home in Illinois to Minnesota to engage in violence and destruction, all while broadcasting it for the world to see. Peaceful protest was not on his agenda," said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Rupert was charged with causing civil disorder, rioting, and possession of unregistered explosive devices on June 1 of 2020. He pleaded guilty in April of 2021. In all, he was sentenced to 105 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
