FBI Labeled: "Domestic
Terrorism" Against Walmart
![](http://d-ddaily.com/images/6-2-23walmart2.PNG)
Gang Wrote 'Declaration of War & Demands Against Walmart' & Set Fires in 4
Stores - Sentenced
"Endangered innocent
shoppers and destroyed millions of dollars of merchandise"
DOJ: Three Defendants Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Series of Commercial
Arsons
MOBILE,
AL - United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer has sentenced to prison
three of eight defendants involved in a series of 2021 arson attacks at Walmart
stores in Alabama and Mississippi.
The court sentenced Jeffery Sikes, a.k.a. "Kenneth Allen," age 42, to serve
216 months in prison. Judge Moorer ordered Alexander Olson, age 23, to serve
180 months in prison. Finally, the court sentenced Quinton Olson, age 22,
to serve 36 months in prison.
According to court documents and testimony during the sentencing evidentiary
hearing, these defendants initially resided in Kearney, Nebraska, and lived in
Lillian, Alabama, at the time of the conspiracy. Jeffery Sikes had entered a
guilty plea to wire fraud in the District of Nebraska and absconded to Alabama
with several co-defendants before he was sentenced in that case. While in
Alabama, Sikes led a conspiracy with seven
co-defendants to set fire to Walmart stores. The conspirators held
a series of planning meetings in which they also drafted a document entitled the
Declaration of War and Demands for the People that made
various demands and threats against Walmart locations. Alexander
Olson and Quinton Olson participated in these planning meetings. The defendants
circulated this document to multiple media outlets to draw attention to the
arson attacks. Multiple conspirators set malicious fires at four Walmart
locations. Jeffery Sikes and Alexander Olson set fires at one Walmart
location, and Alexander Olson was present during the malicious fires at all four
locations. At the evidentiary hearing, the Court heard from multiple witnesses
who suffered the impacts from these fires.
The defendants were arrested in February 2022 after a months-long
investigation. They pleaded guilty to participation in a conspiracy to set
these malicious fires.
"These three defendants deliberately endangered innocent shoppers and
destroyed millions of dollars of merchandise when they intentionally and
maliciously set fires in four stores in two states," said United States
Attorney Sean P. Costello. "Setting fire to a business isn't an economic or
political argument, it's a serious violent crime that has serious consequences.
These criminals were brought to justice thanks to the exceptional work of the
men and women of the FBI, who demonstrated persistence, creativity, and
professionalism throughout this complex investigation."
FBI-Mobile Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said,"Jeffery Sikes, the
admitted mastermind of a series of Walmart store fires was sentenced to 18 years
in federal prison, which was double the recommended prison term under the
federal guidelines. This sentence was based on the totality and severity of the
defendant's actions. Sikes will also be required to pay approximately $7.3
million dollars in restitution to Walmart. This case
demonstrates domestic terrorism continues to persist in a variety of forms."
Co-defendants Erica Sikes, Jenna Sikes, and Mikayla Scheele are scheduled be
sentenced by Judge Moorer on June 2, 2023. Michael Bottorff and Sean Bottorff
are scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2023, and August 24, 2023,
respectively.
justice.gov
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