A 19-year-old Fayetteville man appeared in federal court on Tuesday for charges relating to his alleged attempt at blowing up a vehicle at the Pentagon on February 24.A press release from the Department of Justice shows, a Pentagon Police Officer on patrol allegedly saw Matthew Dmitri Richardson of Fayetteville standing next to a vehicle striking a cigarette lighter to a piece of fabric that was inserted into the vehicle’s gas tank. Richardson allegedly told the officer he was going to “blow this vehicle up” and “himself”. When the officer attempted to detain him, Richardson pulled away and ran across the parking lot towards Virginia State Route 110 and onto Virginia State Route 27. Surveillance camera footage showed that Richardson jumped over a fence into Arlington National Cemetery. Richardson was later found by the Pentagon Force Protection Agency Police Emergency Response Team near Arlington House.According to court documents, after a search of Richardson, officers allegedly discovered a cigarette lighter, gloves, and court documents related to Richardson’s arrest on or about February 22 for two counts of felony assault on a law enforcement officer in Arlington County.The owner of the vehicle is an active duty service member and does not know Richardson, according to court documents. Richardson is charged with maliciously attempting to damage and destroy by means of fire, a vehicle used in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

A 19-year-old Fayetteville man appeared in federal court on Tuesday for charges relating to his alleged attempt at blowing up a vehicle at the Pentagon on February 24.

A press release from the Department of Justice shows, a Pentagon Police Officer on patrol allegedly saw Matthew Dmitri Richardson of Fayetteville standing next to a vehicle striking a cigarette lighter to a piece of fabric that was inserted into the vehicle’s gas tank.




Richardson allegedly told the officer he was going to “blow this vehicle up” and “himself”. When the officer attempted to detain him, Richardson pulled away and ran across the parking lot towards Virginia State Route 110 and onto Virginia State Route 27. Surveillance camera footage showed that Richardson jumped over a fence into Arlington National Cemetery. Richardson was later found by the Pentagon Force Protection Agency Police Emergency Response Team near Arlington House.

According to court documents, after a search of Richardson, officers allegedly discovered a cigarette lighter, gloves, and court documents related to Richardson’s arrest on or about February 22 for two counts of felony assault on a law enforcement officer in Arlington County.

The owner of the vehicle is an active duty service member and does not know Richardson, according to court documents.

Richardson is charged with maliciously attempting to damage and destroy by means of fire, a vehicle used in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.