Maryland man pleads guilty to setting Supreme Court Police cars on fire
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A Maryland man pleaded guilty in federal court after pouring gasoline on several Supreme Court cars.
Cody Tarner, 26, of Hagerstown, pleaded guilty Tuesday, Jan. 9 to arson.
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According to the government’s evidence, on July 15, 2020, Tarner drove onto the U.S. Supreme’s Court’s property in Northeast D.C. and parked his car in a marked spot meant only for employees. He walked around the property, took a red gas can from his car and was seen on security camera footage, pouring gasoline onto three unmarked Supreme Court Police cars. While he was pouring the gas, some of it splashed onto him and his clothes.
He then lit one of the cars on fire which resulted in a “violent ignition of the gasoline.” This caused Tarner to become engulfed in flames causing severe burns and injuries to himself.
Tarner admitted to using 87 octane unleaded gasoline he bought from Pennsylvania to start the fire.
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An investigation showed that Tarner had multiple previous encounters with law enforcement in which he expressed “anti-government and militia extremist ideologies,” according to a news release. He also claimed to be a leader of a militia group.
Tarner’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 14.
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