A man is facing federal charges after he allegedly set fire to a Chicago Police Department car — all while wearing a Joker mask, which partially obscured his face.
Timothy O’Donnell, 31, allegedly lit an object and placed it into the police car’s gas tank on Saturday before the vehicle burst into flames, WFLD reported.
Police arrested O’Donnell Tuesday on a federal arson charge, according to the Justice Department. If convicted, O’Donnell could face a minimum of five years in prison and up to 20 years in prison.
“Anyone involved in destructive behavior – such as setting fire to a police car – should know that federal law enforcement will use all tools available to us to hold them accountable,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch Jr. said in a statement.
“We will continue to work with the Chicago Police Department and our federal and state partners to apprehend and charge arsonists and others engaging in violent crime,” the statement continued.
Investigators were able to identify O’Donnell based on the word “PRETTY” tattooed on his neck, according to federal prosecutors.
The following day, investigators obtained a search warrant and discovered a Joker mask inside O’Donnell’s residence. Authorities then placed him under arrest, NBC Chicago reported.
O’Donnell allegedly admitted being the person behind the mask after his Tuesday arrest.
The 31-year-old is now among at least five people facing federal charges in connection with the looting and rioting in Chicago this past weekend, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
O’Donnell’s first appearance in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
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