Man arrested for setting fire to Senator Bernie Sanders’ office; motive remains unclear

BURLINTON, Vt. — A man was charged Sunday with setting fire to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office in Vermont, federal prosecutors said.

Shant Soghomonian, 35, formerly of Northridge, California, entered the building on Friday and went to Sanders’ office on the third floor, where security video showed him spraying a liquid on the door and setting it on fire, officials said.

The interior of the building sustained some damage from the fire and sprinklers flooding the area with water, but no one was injured. Sanders, an independent, was out of office at the time.

Soghomonian was arrested Sunday on charges of using fire to damage a building used for interstate commerce, according to a statement from Nikolas Kerest, the U.S. attorney for Vermont.

The motive remained unclear. Soghomonian was arrested Sunday and could not be reached for comment. It was not immediately known if there was an attorney and no initial court appearance had been scheduled, officials said.

This crime carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by police departments in Burlington, Shelburne and Williston; Vermont State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Capitol Police, officials said.