Man indicted for alleged arson of DMV

BUFFALO, N.Y. (RELEASE) - United States Attorney, Kathleen M. Mehltretter, stated that Robert M. Vernon, age 57, currently residing in Fairfield Heights, State of New South Wales, Australia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in a 3 Count indictment charging him:

(a) In Count 1 with the aiding, abetting, counseling, commanding, inducing and procuring another to, on December 22, 2006, damage and destroy by means of fire a vehicle that was the property of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles;

(b) In Count 2 with aiding, abetting, counseling, commanding, inducing and procuring others to damage and destroy by means of fire on December 25, 2006, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Office located at 334 Dingens Street, Buffalo, New York; and

(c) In Count 3 with conspiring with others to destroy by means of fire a vehicle that was the property of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and to destroy by fire the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Office located at 334 Dingens Street, Buffalo, New York.

Each of these counts is punishable by a mandatory minimum period of 5 years incarceration and a maximum period of 20 years incarceration, a $250,000.00 fine, or both.

United States Attorney Mehltretter stated that the indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2008, but was sealed by order of the Court at the request of the United States Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney, Richard P. Maigret, who will prosecute the case for the United States Attorney’s Office stated that the investigation had revealed that Vernon had left the Western District of New York sometime after the arson of the Department of Motor Vehicles building, and relocated to the Nation of Canada. Vernon subsequently left Canada and returned to his native Australia before the indictment was returned by a federal grand jury. AUSA Maigret stated in open court that, after the indictment was returned, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York applied to the Nation of Australia to begin the extradition process of Vernon. Vernon was arrested by Australian authorities on January 6, 2010, on the basis of this extradition request. Formal extradition proceedings to return Vernon to the United States and the Western district of New York in order to stand trial on this indictment are being commenced in Sydney, Australia.

This indictment is the result of an investigation conducted by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Buffalo Field Office, under the direction of Acting Resident Agent in Charge, Francis J. Christiano and fire investigators from the Buffalo Fire Department. They were assisted in this investigation by members of the New York State Police and employees of the Department of Motor Vehicles..