MINNEAPOLIS — A Brainerd, Minn., man was sentenced to 48 months in prison for his role in the arson fire last year at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct building.
As part of his sentencing Wednesday, April 28, Dylan Shakespeare Robinson, 23, also was ordered to serve two years of supervised release and pay $12 million in restitution, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
According to court documents, on the night of May 28, 2020, Robinson went to the Third Precinct where a crowd of hundreds had gathered following the murder of George Floyd . At one point, the crowd began shouting, “Burn it down, burn it down.” Soon after, a fence that was designed to keep trespassers out of the Third Precinct was torn down. Robinson, along with other co-conspirators, breached the fence and entered the building.
Robinson, assisted by an unidentified co-conspirator, lit an object held by the unidentified co-conspirator, who threw it toward the Third Precinct building with the intent that it would start a fire or fuel an existing fire.
On Dec. 15, 2020, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson.
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“On the night of May 28, 2020, Mr. Robinson chose to depart from lawful protest and instead engaged in violence and destruction. The arson at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct put lives at risk and contributed to widespread lawlessness in Minneapolis,” Acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk said in a news release. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Robinson is held accountable for his actions.”
Co-conspirators Bryce Michael Williams, 27, Davon De-Andre Turner, 25, and Branden Michael Wolfe, 23, have all pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson for their roles in the arson at the Third Precinct building. They will be sentenced at a later date.
