Oak Grove Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Committing Arson at a Federally Contracted Rehabilitation Center

      LITTLE ROCK—Nathan James Hester will spend the next 71 months in federal prison after intentionally starting multiple fires at a federally contracted rehabilitation center in Searcy, Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on April 24, 2025, by Chief United States District Kristine G. Baker.

      An investigation revealed that Hester, 39, of Oak Grove, was suspected of setting fire to several residences in the Oak Grove community in North Little Rock between September 2022 and October 2022. On October 20, 2022, Hester set fire to a business located in North Little Rock, for which he was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 2, 2022. While under indictment, Hester was released on pretrial supervision and resided at a federally contracted rehabilitation center. On November 27, 2022, while at the rehabilitation center, Hester set multiple fires inside of his assigned room while the center was occupied.

      On October 3, 2023, in a superseding indictment, Hester was charged with arson relating to the fires at the federally contracted rehabilitation center. Hester pleaded guilty to the arson charge on August 8, 2024.

      “Nathan James Hester is a serial arsonist who endangered others and caused property damage,” Ross said. “These crimes deserve federal attention, and if there are others who make the choice to endanger others and set fire to destroy properties and endanger others, this office will ensure you are held accountable.”

      “ATF is dedicated to preventing and reducing violent crime involving the criminal misuse of arson like the kind Nathan James Hester inflicted on the residents of a rehabilitation center,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “ATF remains vigilant about working fire investigations with our partners to solve these crimes and hold those accountable who use this dangerous violent tactic to harm the public.”

      Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Hester to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

      The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Maumelle Police Department, Maumelle Fire Department, Oak Grove Fire Department, Arkansas State Police, Searcy Police Department, and the Searcy Fire Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.

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Additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

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