Rochester man gets 10 years in fatal pawn shop arson

A federal judge sentenced a Rochester man Friday to 10 years in prison in connection with a fatal pawn shop arson during unrest over George Floyd's death in 2020.

According to court documents, 26-year-old Montez Terriel Lee and several others broke into the Max It Pawn Shop in Minneapolis on May 28, 2020. Surveillance footage shows him pouring an accelerant around the pawn shop and lighting the accelerant on fire. The pawn shop was destroyed. It was one of several businesses that burned following Floyd's death.

Authorities found the body of a 30-year-old man in the rubble. A medical examiner ruled that he died in the fire.

U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright handed down the sentence.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.