A DeKalb man trying to cover up evidence of fraud was sentenced Thursday for burning down a tax preparation business, said federal prosecutors.
Noelan Dudley, 26, of Lithonia, was sentenced to five years, to be followed by three years probation.
Also sentenced was an accomplice, Brandon Dobbs, 25, of Decatur, who was injured by the fire he set. Dobbs was sentenced to three years, with an additional three years probation.
The men were each ordered to pay $2.16 million in restitution for the Feb. 25, 2008, destruction of World Finance in the 5200 block of Memorial Drive.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges in late April 2011.
U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said “This case involves an employee who was so intent on covering up a tax fraud scheme that he and his accomplice almost blew up a small shopping center. Their reckless and dangerous action cost other victims $2 million, burned one of the defendants and very well could have taken innocent lives.”
Yates, in a press release, said Dudley was an assistant manager of World Finance and Dobbs was an unemployed co-conspirator.
The fire and a resulting explosion caused more than $2 million in damage to the other tenants of the strip mall and nearby buildings.
Federal agents determined the motive was to conceal a fraudulent tax filing scheme which involved Dudley and a former manager fired four days prior to the arson.
The DeKalb County Fire Department obtained video from nearby surveillance cameras which showed a vehicle dropping off an individual who then used a key to enter the front door of World Finance. Gasoline was used to set the fire. The cameras also captured the fuel-air explosion that occurred after the fire was set while one of the defendants was still inside of the building.
Area hospitals were searched for recent burn victims and federal agents discovered Dobbs in a burn unit.
Federal agents interviewed Dobbs, looked at his cellphone records, and discovered he'd called Dudley several times.
About the Author
