Rochester arsonist pleads guilty after fleeing arrest, apprehension in Mexico
Numerous fires were started amid protests in response to the death of George Floyd in May 2020.
(FOX 9) - A Rochester man who fled to Mexico in an effort to evade being caught after a series of arsons has been apprehended thanks to an anonymous tip.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Jose Angel Felan, Jr., 35, set fire to the Goodwill retail store, the Gordon Parks High School, and the 7 Mile Sportswear store, all of which were located on University Avenue in St. Paul.
He has since plead guilty to one count of arson, according to acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
The weekend saw a wide-range of protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police officers, all of which who have been since been found guilty of various charges.
Following the arsons, Felan and his wife, co-defendant Mena Dhaya Yousif, 23, fled the state.
Felan and Yousif traveled by car from Rochester to Texas, where Felan had family. They then fled the United States and escaped to Mexico.
On Feb. 15, 2021, following an anonymous tip, Felan and Yousif were located and arrested by Mexican law enforcement authorities for immigration violations and returned to the United States.
The case is the result of an investigation conducted by multiple agencies, including the ATF, FBI, St. Paul police and fire departments, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.