County Attorney News Releases

 

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced that Michael Duane Damron (a/k/a Wade Duane Arvidson), age 52, of Prior Lake, and Wynn Donald Arvidson, age 50, also of Prior Lake, have both been charged* with Arson in the First Degree (a Felony) in connection with a fire that significantly damaged the Historic Eagan City Hall on September 8, 2013.

The allegations contained in the criminal complaint reflect that Damron had been upset for a number of years with Eagan officials stemming from a prior criminal investigation in 2006 that involved multiple thefts in the cities of Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Shakopee, Savage, Burnsville, Lakeville, Elko and Prior Lake and Le Sueur County. The Damron/Arvidson family had unsuccessfully sued the cities of Eagan and Inver Grove Heights for $12 million dollars because they felt the police had taken items belonging to them in the course of this 2006 criminal investigation. Damron also has a previous history of writing threatening letters to various officials and vandalism against entities he is upset with.

The investigation into this matter has been extensive and Backstrom thanked the Eagan Police and Fire Departments for their hard work on this case.

Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald commented: “This arson of one of our city’s historic landmarks was a significant crime in our community and we are pleased that these criminal charges have now been filed.”

Additional facts pertaining to this case can be found in the criminal complaints which are located online at: Criminal Complaint Search. While in custody, mug shots can be viewed at: Inmate Search.

Michael Damron is in custody of the Commissioner of Corrections on an unrelated matter at this time. His initial court appearance on this charge will be in the near future.

Wynn Arvidson made his first appearance in court today and bail was set in the amount of $350,000 without conditions ($250,000 with conditions). Arvidson’s next court appearance is set for December 29, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. in Hastings.

If you have questions, contact James Backstrom at 651-438-4438.

*Criminal charges are not evidence of guilt.  A defendant/suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.