KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Blue Springs, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the arson of a Blue Springs business.

Joseph R. Young, 24, of Blue Springs, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to the charge contained in a May 5, 2010, federal indictment.

By pleading guilty today, Young admitted that he set a fire that heavily damaged the building located at 901 West Main St., Blue Springs, on March 1, 2010. The building housed Metro Construction Management, Inc., Accent on Recovery and Addiction Counseling services.

According to today’s plea agreement, Young attempted to conceal his burglary of the office by setting fire to two boxes filled with office paper. The fire spread from the paper boxes and caused a blaze which heavily damaged the building. The Blue Springs Fire Department responded to the scene and eventually extinguished the fire.

Under federal statutes, Young is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

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.

Return to Top