California Man Arrested for Alleged Arson Outside Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Office

Burlington, Vermont – About the fire that broke out at Senator Bernie Sanders’ Burlington office last Friday, a suspect has been taken into custody.

Shant Soghomonian, 35, of Northridge, California—also known as Michael Soghomonian—was taken into custody on April 7, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office claims that once Soghomonian entered One Church Street, he sprayed Sanders’ office door with an unknown chemical and set it on fire before leaving the structure. No injuries were recorded as a result of the building’s evacuation by the authorities, which included Sanders’ staff members but not the senator himself.

The Vermont State Police, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the police departments of Burlington, Williston, and Shelburne were all involved in the investigation.

Senator Sanders thanked constituents for their support during the incident and praised law enforcement for their prompt reaction in a statement.

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“I sincerely appreciate how quickly, expertly, and coordinated local, state and federal law enforcement responded to the fire at my Vermont office on Friday.

Sanders added, “I am particularly grateful that none of the numerous persons who were inside the office building at the time of the incident were hurt. “I’m grateful for everyone’s support and well wishes for my team and me. Being able to help Vermonters through these difficult times makes us proud.

If found guilty, Soghomonian may be sentenced to five to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A court date has not yet been set for his appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.