More suspects have been connected to what police call a conspiracy to burn down the Great Falls textile mill, a plan that stopped short in its tracks earlier this month.
Four hopeful arsonists who all live near the mill thought a large fire might evacuate the area, and that they’d receive money from the government for housing and living expenses, officials said over the weekend after arrests were made.
Zachery Tylor Bailey, 18, and Dmario Martez Simpson, 19, both of Great Falls were arrested Friday and charged with conspiracy.
Eugene Obrian Simpson, 22, of Great Falls also is charged with conspiracy in the case but has been in custody since Oct. 1 on an unrelated burglary charge, detention officials said Saturday afternoon.
Police found 25-year-old Brett Lee Hollingshead carrying gas cans to the old textile mill in Chester County earlier this month.
Officers with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office, Great Falls Police Department and State Law Enforcement Division set up shop at the mill after sunset the night before and spotted him through night vision goggles around 1 a.m., Sheriff Richard Smith told The Herald’s news partner, WSOC, after the bust.
They had gotten an anonymous tip.
Police waited while the man walked through an open gate, up a ramp and right into the abandoned building.
They arrested Hollingshead and charged him with burglary and attempted arson.
Further SLED investigations uncovered that all four men purchased gasoline Sept. 30, then met, mapped out the building and planned the crime, officials said Saturday.
“The intent was to burn the building, causing an evacuation which they believed would result in them receiving money from the government for a room and living expenses during the evacuation,” according to a release from the Chester County Sheriff’s Office.
Hollingshead remains in jail on a total bond of $90,000, plus a $570 person recognizance bond of $570 for possession of marijuana, detention officials said Saturday.
Bailey and Dmario Simpson remained in jail Saturday on $50,000 for the conspiracy charge.
Eugene Simpson’s bond is set at $75,000 for the unrelated burglary charge. His bond will be set later this evening for the conspiracy charge, officials said.
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