PHILADELPHIA, PA — Tyrone Wise, 34, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release for setting fire to a building in West Philadelphia during the civil unrest of May 2020. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Savage handed down the sentence Tuesday following Wise’s guilty plea to malicious damage by means of fire on a building used in interstate commerce.
On May 31, 2020, at approximately 8:49 p.m., Wise intentionally ignited a fire at the SunRay Drugs Pharmacy on South 60th Street. The blaze caused extensive damage to the pharmacy, which occupied the building’s first floor, along with the basement and apartments located on the second and third floors. The incident resulted in $1.2 million in property damages and led to the closure of the pharmacy.
“This act of arson endangered lives, including occupants of nearby apartments and the firefighters who responded to the scene,” stated U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. She emphasized the government’s commitment to prosecuting crimes that jeopardize public safety.
The Philadelphia division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Philadelphia Police Department led the investigation. Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree of ATF underscored the broader impact of arson, noting how it endangers communities and causes irreparable harm to lives and property.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Jayne.
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