A woman from Thief River Falls was sentenced to probation for starting a fire at an Islamic Center in East Grand Forks in 2022
She pleaded guilty to first-degree arson, while a second charge was dropped. The incident happened on June 5, 2022, when an officer responded to a fire at the center.
A witness saw Thompson running from the building, and the officer found a burnt curtain inside. Surveillance footage showed her using a lighter and a spray can to ignite the fire before leaving the scene.
Later that morning, she was arrested. Although she claimed to have been drinking and didn’t remember the event, she recognized the hairspray can in the video. Interestingly, her breath test showed a 0.00 result.
In court, she received a sentence of 48 months stayed for five years of probation. Before this, she spent 127 days in a correctional facility.
Thompson must complete various evaluations and treatment if needed. She’s also banned from contacting the victims and must stay at least 300 feet away from the Islamic Center.
