Arsonist sentenced to six years for fire, damage at Dakota County government building

A Savage man was sentenced to more than six years Wednesday for throwing Molotov cocktails into a Dakota County government building in May, causing more than $200,000 damage.

Fornandous Cortez Henderson, 33, and Garrett Ziegler threw several of the incendiary devices into the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley. The building housed several court facilities and a U.S. passport center.

Henderson admitted during his guilty plea that he chose the building because he had made court appearances there and was angry with law enforcement over the death of George Floyd. He and Ziegler broke windows with baseball bats at the building and threw in the Molotov cocktails. Some of the devices successfully ignited and caused damage from fire.

According to court documents, Henderson and Ziegler also started and attempted to start other fires at the building by pouring ignitable liquids and throwing unlit Molotov cocktails in and around the broken windows, then attempting to start the fluids on fire.

Henderson was convicted of aiding and abetting arson and ordered to pay $205,872.53 in restitution.