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Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Middle District of Florida
Maria Chapa Lopez, United States Attorney
Contact: William Daniels
www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Jacksonville Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Arson

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Emmett David Smart (29, Jacksonville) to five years in federal prison for arson of a residential apartment building. The court also ordered Smart to pay $148,920.09 in restitution.

Smart had pleaded guilty on October 31, 2019.

According to court documents, on April 25, 2018, Smart set fire to a four-unit apartment building located at 7304 Sandhurst Road in Jacksonville. At the time of the fire, there were several occupants inside the building. Smart set the fire two days after the owner of the apartment building had initiated eviction proceedings against the tenant of the apartment Smart was residing in at the time of the fire.

This case was investigated by the Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

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