Man Accused of Setting Fires at St. Louis County Hotel

ST. LOUIS – A man was indicted Wednesday and accused of setting fires at a hotel near Ferguson, Missouri last month.

Brandon Dallas Smith, 40, is now facing an arson charge. The indictment accuses Smith of setting a fire at a hotel in the 2700 block of Target Drive on March 26, 2025. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis the day after the fire says patrons were awakened by a fire alarm at 2:48 a.m. to find two fires in front of hotel rooms and a third on the second-floor stairwell. The complaint alleges that Smith purchased gasoline a nearby gas station and convenience store shortly before going to the hotel and setting the fires.
 

A charge set forth in an indictment or a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charge is punishable by at least five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis County Bomb and Arson Squad investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.