Kyle Thomsen of New Orleans was indicted on March 19 for arson of property used in interstate commerce, according to a March 25 announcement by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
The indictment alleges that on or about January 19, Thomsen damaged and destroyed a vehicle belonging to a commercial business through the use of fire. The incident took place in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
If convicted, Thomsen faces between five and twenty years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America. This nationwide initiative uses resources from the Department of Justice with the goal to address illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. Operation Take Back America combines efforts from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood programs.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle said that “the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.” The case is also part of the NOLA Safe initiative and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms along with the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed from the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting.
