Man faces federal charges for burning downtown Raleigh buildings during Floyd protests
A 26-year-old Raleigh man faces federal charges for burning two downtown businesses during widespread protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, U.S. Attorney Robert Higdon said Thursday in a news release.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms arrested Richard Rubalcava Thursday, charging him with two counts of malicious damage by means of fire.
Downtown Raleigh was severely damaged in protests on May 30 and 31, with many businesses’ windows shattered, graffiti spray-painted and damage estimated in the millions. Police arrested at least 45 people in the first weekend of Floyd-related protests.
People living downtown described Raleigh’s protest against Floyd’s killing as a peaceful affair at the beginning, with families and children attending, both black and white pleading for an end to police violence. But a few hours in, the tone changed as rocks got thrown and tear gas filled the street.
Higdon said surveillance video showed Rubalcava going into the DGX on Davie Street shortly after midnight on May 31, after its front windows had been broken and its merchandise looted. The video showed him entering and exiting the store, filling up a Dollar General bag and setting fire to items at the end of an aisle, Higdon said.
Additional video showed him going into Budacai restaurant on Martin Street three times, once taking the cash register and once trying to ignite one of the plants inside, the release said. When it would not burn, Higdon said in a news release, Rubalcava lit a towel on fire and left it on a countertop.
If convicted, the federal charges carry a minimum prison term of five years, a maximum of 20 years and fines topping out at $250,000.
Raleigh police had already charged Rubalcava on May 30 with first-degree arson, trespassing during an emergency and felony inciting to riot. The Wake County jail Thursday listed him as a federal inmate awaiting trial.
Other people arrested faced charges including inciting a riot, burning public buildings, assault on a government official, resisting an officer, trespassing during an emergency and failing to disperse on command.
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin set a curfew June 1 following the destructive protests. It ended June 8.
In the weeks since then, almost daily protests have been held in downtown Raleigh that have been peaceful with no arrests. Artists have painted colorful murals on the plywood covering the broken storefronts, calling for unity, an end to racism and a stop to the police violence that killed Floyd.
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 10:06 AM.