FIFTH SOLDIER FROM NORTH GEORGIA ARRESTED

SANDEO PABLO DYSON, 44, of Gainesville, Georgia, has been charged in a criminal complaint with arson and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He is making an initial appearance today before a federal magistrate judge in Denver, Colorado to begin removal proceedings to Georgia.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of the case, “This alleged arson relates to another case involving Army associates of this defendant, who is an Army medic. He has been arrested in Colorado and will be returned to Georgia to face justice.”

"Arson is a serious crime of violence, which often has a dramatic impact on the community" said Scott Sweetow, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Atlanta Field Division. "As alleged, it became clear to ATF that Mr. Dyson was considering an armed robbery/home invasion before we entered the picture. It is my hope that this investigation and prosecution will ensure that the alleged perpetrators will never commit or attempt to commit such crimes again."

According to United States Attorney Nahmias, the federal criminal complaint, and other information presented in court: This investigation started on January 2, 2007, when ATF began to assist the City of Atlanta Fire Department in its investigation of a fire at Club Onyx, an adult entertainment club at 1888 Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta. At the time of the fire, a surveillance system showed a male figure coming out of a bathroom/storage closet area in the rear of Club Onyx after the club had been locked and alarmed by management. This individual hugged the side wall, entered the kitchen, and then re-emerged only to walk beyond the range of the cameras. The fire started in the rear of the club and quickly spread with the use of an accelerant. The unknown male then fled out the exit door of the club nearest the location where the fire was set.

For many months, investigators were unable to develop any leads on the arson. A break in the case occurred in August and September, 2007, when the ATF and the FBI, working together, identified a subject from a competing club. That person ultimately confessed to paying DYSON $5000 to burn Club Onyx, which was siphoning away business as well as dancers from the other club. DYSON had allegedly told the subject, who became an informant, that he could “solve the Club Onyx problem.” DYSON was the head of a security company, “Perimeter Security,” and said that he was in the military, assigned to a facility in Dahlonega, Georgia, and a member of the Special Forces/Delta. DYSON claimed that many of his employees were also members of Special Forces/Delta, and were armed and well-trained.

Subsequent investigation showed that DYSON is in the U.S. Army, but is not Ranger-trained. In 2006 and 2007, he was a medic assigned to Camp Merrill in Dahlonega, but was recently transferred to Fort Carson in Colorado.

On November 8, 2007, the informant met with DYSON and made a consensuallymonitored recording of their encounter. DYSON admitted to burning Club Onyx and advised that he had used a home-made accelerant, the recipe for which DYSON had obtained from the so-called “Anarchist’s Cookbook.” According to DYSON, this accelerant would be undetectable to law enforcement investigating the fire. DYSON and the informant also discussed the possible armed robbery/home invasion of a narcotics stash house. From the nature of the conversation, it was obvious that this was not a new topic but had been discussed previously. DYSON was eager to participate in the home invasion, advising that he had approximately four other soldiers to assist him, and agreed to introduce these people to the informant. Four other Army defendants have been arrested in the armed robbery/home invasion scheme and their bond hearing before a United States Magistrate is scheduled to continue on February 4, 2008.

DYSON was arrested without incident yesterday by agents of the ATF and Army CID at Fort Carson, Colorado.
Members of the public are reminded that a criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the ATF, assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistance has also been provided in this case by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and Atlanta Fire Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Robert McBurney and Zahra Karinshak are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-meus), United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.
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