U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel has sentenced Willie Latimore, 27, of St. Louis, to 66 months in prison for setting fire to his girlfriend’s apartment after threatening her with a gun. Latimore was also ordered to pay $7,087 in restitution to the owners of the apartment building.
Latimore pleaded guilty to one count of arson and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted to setting fire to his then-girlfriend’s apartment in St. Louis on May 11, 2023.
Officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were called to the woman’s apartment on Washington Avenue downtown after Latimore began attempting to kick her apartment door down. Upon arrival, they found smoke emanating from the apartment. Latimore had piled clothing on the stove and set it on fire. The woman was hiding at a neighbor’s apartment because Latimore had threatened her earlier that day with a gun.
St. Louis’ Real Time Crime Center tracked Latimore’s car, leading to his arrest later that day after a brief vehicle and foot chase. Latimore dropped a handgun as he fled.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen prosecuted the case.
