Man pleads guilty to arson after setting fire to cars at the US Supreme Court in 2020

CNN —

A Maryland man who set fire to several US Supreme Court vehicles in 2020 – burning himself in the process – pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal arson charge.

Cody Tarner, 26, poured gasoline on several official vehicles in a employees-only parking lot for the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, before setting the cars and, inadvertently, himself on fire in July 2020, according to court records.

“This action resulted in Tarner also being engulfed in the fire causing severe burns and injuries to himself,” the Department of Justice said in a statement announcing the guilty plea. “Tarner admitted to starting the fire with 87 octane unleaded gasoline he had purchased in Pennsylvania for that purpose.”

Tarner was arrested after igniting the gasoline by an officer nearby who administered first aid to the arsonist, according to court documents.

“The investigation revealed that Tarner had had several encounters with law enforcement in which he has expressed what can be referred to as anti-government and militia extremist ideologies,” the statement of facts attached to the plea agreement reads. According to the statement of facts, Tarner claimed to be the leader of a militia group which he created a Facebook page for.

Sentencing has been set for May 14. Tarner faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years for the arson charge.