Man charged with arson for fire at adult bookstore in St. Cloud

A St. Cloud-area man was charged Friday with two counts of first-degree arson, a felony, after a fire at an adult bookstore in St. Cloud, according to the Benton County Attorney's Office.

Cody Mann, 32, was arrested shortly after a fire was set early Thursday afternoon at Pure Pleasure, 631 U.S. Highway 10.

No one was injured in the incident, but damages are estimated at $380,000.

Mann has a history of mental illness and criminal charges, including a conviction for animal cruelty in 2014.

A criminal complaint outlines the evidence in the arson case. Two witnesses identified Mann as carrying a gas can into Pure Pleasure, according to the attorney's office. One also says he saw Mann pour gas on magazines, lighting a fire.

Investigators believe Mann started four separate fires before leaving the store, according to the criminal complaint. Mann was arrested shortly after.

Fire damage and video surveillance confirmed the witness accounts and police observations.

The first charge against Mann alleges he intentionally damaged a building using fire, while knowing another person was in the building. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years and up to $35,000 fine.

The second charge alleges Mann intentionally damaged a building using flammable material to start or accelerate the fire. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and up to $20,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint:

St. Cloud police were alerted to a possible issue at about 12:30 p.m., when a man called emergency services to report he had just given a ride to a man carrying a 5-gallon, plastic gas can. The witness later identified this person as Mann.

Mann asked to be taken to the Pure Pleasure bookstore. When the driver pulled into the parking lot, he thought Mann was the owner of one of the vehicles parked there and that he had run out of gas.

The driver watched as Mann instead walked into the store carrying the gas can. Thinking this was suspicious, he continued to watch the building. He then saw another man, later identified as a store employee, run out of the building.

Soon after, Mann exited the store, but was not carrying the gas can. The driver continued to watch until police stopped him about a block away.

St. Cloud police and fire departments responded and saw smoke was coming out of the building.

When Mann was stopped by police, he had a black lighter in his right hand and smelled strongly of gasoline.

At about the same time, the store employee called emergency services.

The employee said he was behind the counter when Mann entered the store. The employee told Mann he couldn't have the gas can in the store and asked him what he was doing.

The employee reported Mann as saying "I'm going to burn this place down. I'm sick of this store."

The employee then watched Mann man pour some gasoline on magazines, starting a fire. The employee said he was afraid for his life and ran out of the store to call emergency services.

Later on, the driver and the store employee separately identified Mann as the person who entered Pure Pleasure with a gas can and started fires.

Police and fire investigators discovered a lot of smoke and heat damage throughout the building. Investigators believe fires started in two spots where gas was poured on magazines, one spot where it was poured on movies and also in the area where a plastic gas can was found, melted.

Video surveillance showed Mann entering the store with the gas can, pouring gas on magazines at one location and then another. Mann then moved on to start a third fire. Mann then appears to light the gas can on fire and throws it into the corner of the store before walking out of the building.

Damages include $325,000 for loss of furniture and inventory and $55,000 for structural and building damage. The fire did not breach the walls or roof.

Mann has a history of arrests, drug abuse and mental illness.

In 2014, he was convicted of animal cruelty after skinning and baking his pet cat in an apartment in Monticello.

The charges said he killed his cat because "he wanted to try cooking it with onions."

Mann's father contacted police after his son started making "strange comments," according to the complaint. The apartment manager also reported a burning smell from the apartment to law enforcement.

A deputy entered the apartment and found the cat's body inside the oven and the cat's skin and entrails inside the freezer.

Other convictions dating back to 2003 include charges related to domestic assault, driving offenses, disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process. Mann was arrested by St. Cloud police on July 12 on possible charges including disorderly conduct, assault and criminal damage to property.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.