Update on 9/25/23:

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week charging an Anchorage man with intentionally lighting an apartment on fire.

According to court documents, Paul Bates, 24, started a fire in an apartment building located on East 12th Avenue in Anchorage on Oct. 30, 2022. Bates lived in the apartment complex at the time and had just engaged in a dispute with a neighbor over the neighbor’s refusal to give Bates a cigarette. After the dispute, the defendant went into his unit, lit three fires and left the scene.

Court documents say the fire spread to multiple units after a few minutes, and residents began evacuating the building, which included a woman with a child on her back and a woman in a wheelchair. The defendant was arrested the same day as the fire.

Bates is charged with one count of arson, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §844(i). The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson made the announcement.

The ATF Seattle Field Division, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department and Anchorage Fire Department, is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Original:

At 12:04 PM on October 30, 2022, Anchorage Police (APD) and Anchorage Fire (AFD) responded to a residential fire on the 6000-block of E 12th Avenue.  The suspect’s physical description was relayed to APD Dispatch.  One of the responding officers saw an adult male, who matched the suspect’s description, walking on Debarr Road near Delasala Place.  The officer followed the suspect, later identified as 23-year-old Paul B. Bates, from a distance while waiting for backup units to arrive.  Once that occurred, the first officer drove up next to Bates and activated his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights.  The officer exited his car and gave Bates commands.  Bates refused to drop the bags he was holding; the officer placed Bates into handcuffs.  During the pat search, Bates physically resisted.  Two officers secured Bates up against the side of a patrol vehicle where they continued the pat search.  Once Bates was placed into the back of the patrol vehicle, Bates attempted to spit on the officers.  A spit hood was placed on Bates’ head.

Bates was transported to the Anchorage Police Department for questioning by detectives; Bates continued to be physically combative.  At the conclusion of the interview, Paul Bates was remanded at the Anchorage Jail on the charges of Arson I, Criminal Mischief I, and Reckless Endangerment.

The fire set by Bates engulfed the structure on the southwest end.  Vehicles parked in front of the complex were also damaged.  The fire was extinguished by AFD.  The motive for setting the fire is still under investigation.

APD Case 22-35113