18-05-2025
MATC downtown Milwaukee campus fire, feds charge man with arson
The Brief
A fire was set at MATC's downtown Milwaukee campus on Tuesday, May 13.
Federal prosecutors charged a man with arson of a building used in interstate commerce.
The same man was convicted in a 2015 Milwaukee County arson case.
MILWAUKEE - Federal prosecutors charged a man with arson in connection with a fire set at Milwaukee Area Technical College's downtown campus on Tuesday, May 13.
In Court
Court filings state Jarriel Cotton is charged with one count of arson of a building used in interstate commerce. He made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday.
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What they're saying
Prosecutors said Cotton set fire to an upholstered chair on the third floor of the MATC campus building near Lovell and State. It happened around 6:45 a.m. After setting the fire, he left – but returned around 4:30 p.m. that day and was ultimately taken into custody.
The fire was captured on surveillance video, and a criminal complaint said the flames reached up to 10 feet in the air. It set off the sprinkler system on the second and third floors of the building.
A restoration company estimated the cost to repair and clean the damage at between $150,000 and $200,000.
Court filings said, because MATC's student body is composed of both in-state and out-of-state students, the downtown building is used in interstate commerce.
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Once in custody, a detective tried to conduct a Mirandized interview with Cotton. Court filings said he did not want to make a statement.
Dig deeper
Federal prosecutors said Cotton has a prior conviction in Milwaukee County Circuit Court for a 2015 arson. Court records show he was sentenced to four years' probation in the case in 2016.
The Source
Information in this report is from the U.S. Attorney's Office, U.S. District Court and Wisconsin Circuit Court.
