An Anchorage man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for conspiracy to commit arson after he was caught lighting a fire at Seattle’s East Precinct, according to the Department of Justice.
Desmond David-Pitts was arrested on Aug. 24, 2020 during the height of the Seattle riots. He was easily identified because he was wearing pink camo clothing.
Earlier in the summer, David-Pitts had attended a meeting of the Anchorage Assembly and cursed at the police chief, Assembly and then-Mayor Ethan Berkowitz on the theme of racism in policing.
In video captured by Must Read Alaska, David-Pitts can be seen testifying while Dave and Deb Bronson sit in the audience at the Assembly and listen to him.
According to the Department of Justice, David-Pitts had arrived in Seattle from Alaska just three days before the arson. After marching with the group of protestors in downtown Seattle, David-Pitts was seen on surveillance video piling up trash against the sally-port door at the Seattle Police East Precinct.
Over an 11-minute period, the surveillance video captured David-Pitts not only piling up the trash, but repeatedly lighting it on fire and feeding the flames with more trash. While David-Pitts was lighting the fire, other people who appeared on the surveillance were attempting to use crowbars and cement-like materials to try to disable the door next to the sally-port to prevent officers from exiting the building.
At various times on the surveillance tape, David-Pitts was communicating with individuals who were attempting to disable the door and light other fires around the building. Despite efforts to disable the door, officers were able to get outside and extinguish the flames. David-Pitts was seen on surveillance working with the others to cut through a chain-link fence that was a barrier around the building. All the fires were extinguished by Seattle Police Officers and members of the Seattle Fire Department.
“A handful of people bent on destruction, by committing arson and threatening the safety of our community, also drowned out the important message of those who peacefully protest injustice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This defendant joined with others to put Seattle Police officers at risk. It is wholly appropriate that he spend time in prison as a consequence of his criminal acts.”
David-Pitts pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to commit arson. He faced up to five years in prison but was only sentenced to 20 months. David-Pitts agreed to pay restitution to the Seattle Police Department for damage to the building.
