| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 2008 WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/CAN |
SAN JOSE – United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced that Donald Ray Williams was arraigned last Friday in Federal Court in San Jose, California on charges that he set the July 1, 2007 fire that razed a Walgreen’s drug store in Palo Alto. A federal grand jury in San Jose indicted Donald Ray Williams, of East Palo Alto, on January 30, 2008.
The indictment charges Mr. Williams with one count of arson of a building involved in interstate commerce. These charges are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Palo Alto Police and Fire Departments
Mr. Williams made his initial appearance in federal court in San Jose on Friday before United States Magistrate Patricia V. Trumbull. He was ordered temporarily held without bail until a detention hearing was held yesterday. The defendant was ordered detained by the Court after the conclusion of the detention hearing. His next appearance is scheduled before United States District Judge Jeremy Fogel on March 5, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.
The maximum statutory penalty for arson in violation of Tile 18, United States Code, section 844(i) is 20 years and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Gary G. Fry is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of legal technician Jeanne Cartensen. The prosecution is the result of an eight month investigation by ATF, the Palo Alto Police Department, and the Palo Alto Fire Department.
An indictment contains only allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, Mr. Williams must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Further Information:
Case #: CR 08-00040 JF
A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.
Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Judges’ calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court’s website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.
All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney’s Office should be directed to Joshua Eaton at (415) 436-6958 or by email at Josh.Eaton@usdoj.gov.