Las Vegas, Nev. - Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, announced that on April 15, 2002, Troy Sampson was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James C. Mahan to 150 months in federal prison for his guilty plea to one count of Arson in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i).

Sampson, 31, was born in Pontiac, Michigan, but has resided in Las Vegas since 1992. Sampson burglarized the Golden Market, a convenience store located at 1735 North Nellis Boulevard in Las Vegas, during the early morning hours of November 14, 2000. Sampson admitted to cutting the telephone lines to the store in an attempt to disable the alarm system, cutting a hole in the roof to obtain entry, and finally cutting the power lines to the store security cameras. Sampson missed one of the cameras, however, which was perfectly positioned to capture his activities inside the store, and Sampson was filmed breaking into video poker machines, attempting to drill open an ATM, and pouring lighter fluid around the store and lighting it to destroy any evidence of the burglary.

Judge Mahan also ordered Sampson to pay approximately $463,000 in restitution.

The prosecution was the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Clark County Fire Department, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Parrella.

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