Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Coral Springs Man Sentenced to Prison for Arson
Last week, a Coral Springs man was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution for carrying out a residential arson.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, and Clyde Parry, Chief, Coral Springs Police Department, made the announcement.
Nathan Counts, 40, of Coral Springs, previously pled guilty to arson, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i). On August 15, 2018, U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas sentenced the defendant to 60 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,129,781.00.
According to court documents, on February 12, 2018, Nathan Counts purchased a portable gas tank, filled it with gasoline, and drove home to his apartment in Coral Springs, Florida. Counts then poured gasoline on several areas within his residence and set the apartment on fire. In setting the fire, Counts intended to damage his own apartment and other apartments within the building.
As a result of the fire, two buildings (including 28 individual units) received varying degrees of fire, heat, smoke and water damage. The residents of both buildings were displaced and three cats were killed. The total damage to real and personal property was approximately $3,129,781.00.
Mr. Greenberg commends the investigative efforts of the ATF and Coral Springs Police Department and thanks the Division of Investigative & Forensic Services Bureau of Fire Arson Explosive Investigations for their assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frederic Shadley.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
###