A Milwaukee man, Jarriel Cotton, has been charged in federal court for allegedly committing arson at the downtown Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) campus. The announcement was made by Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
The criminal complaint states that on May 13, 2025, Cotton intentionally set fire to an upholstered chair located on the third floor of the MATC campus building at 700 W. State Street. The act was recorded on video surveillance. Cotton appeared in federal court on May 16, and his next hearing is scheduled for May 21. He is currently held in federal custody.
Cotton has a previous conviction for arson from a 2015 incident in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
If convicted of this new charge under Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), Cotton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and could face up to life imprisonment along with a potential fine of $250,000.
The case is being investigated by the Milwaukee Police Department and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt; the defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
For more information, contact Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales at Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov or call 414-297-1700.