NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

BETH PHILLIPS

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.justice.gov/index.html

MAY 7, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLUE SPRINGS MAN INDICTED FOR ARSON

            KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Blue Springs, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the arson of a Blue Springs business.

            Joseph R. Young, 23, of Blue Springs, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, May 5, 2010. Young was arrested today and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

            The federal indictment alleges that Young set a fire that caused substantial damage to the building located at 901 West Main St., Blue Springs, on March 1, 2010. The building housed Metro Construction Management, Inc., and other businesses.

            Phillips cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

            This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department and the Blue Springs, Mo., Fire Department and the Sugar Creek, Mo., Police Department.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

http://www.justice.gov/index.html