Rochester Man Sentenced in Pawn Shop Arson That Led to a Death

MINNEAPOLIS -- A Rochester man had been sentenced for his role in an arson fire at a Twin Cities business that destroyed a building and resulted in one death.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says on Friday 26-year-old Montez Lee was sentenced to ten years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

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Court documents show that on May 28th, 2020 Lee and several others broke into the Max It Pawn Shop on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. Security videos show Lee pouring accelerant around the building and then lighting it on fire.

Records show on July 20th, 2020, authorities found the body of a 30-year-old man inside the building. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office says smoke inhalation and thermal injury led to the man’s death.