Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
LITTLE ROCK—Miles Andrew Caldwell will spend the next 84 months in federal prison after intentionally starting three fires at two different fitness centers in Little Rock, Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
An investigation revealed that on November 16, 2023, Caldwell, 20, of Little Rock, arrived at the Little Rock Athletic Club at approximately 11:00 a.m. Caldwell then walked down the hallway and entered the men’s restroom on the first floor. A few minutes later, he exited the restroom and walked down the hallway past the operating daycare center that was occupied by several children (mainly babies and toddlers) and staff members.
Caldwell then entered the basketball court. Later, after exiting the basketball court, Caldwell walked back to the daycare, looking through the large windows of the daycare center before taking the stairs to the second floor. Moments later, women in the tennis hallway reported the smell of smoke. The smoke filled the tennis hallway which caused the fire alarm to sound. Children, daycare staff, and other occupants of the tennis area exited the building through the smoke-filled hallway.
The investigation revealed that the fire was set in a paper towel dispenser in the first-floor men’s restroom. Caldwell also set fire to the paper towel dispenser, trash receptable, and toilet paper dispenser in the second-floor men’s restroom.
Later that same day, at approximately 3:49 p.m., the Little Rock Fire Department responded to 10 Fitness on North Rodney Parham Road, where its men’s restroom also sustained fire damage. Firefighters observed smoke present in the main gym, with thicker smoke in the area of the bathrooms. The Little Rock Fire Marshal determined that the toilet paper dispenser in the handicapped stall of the men’s restroom had been set on fire.
The investigation revealed that Caldwell scanned into 10 Fitness, entered the men’s restroom, remained for approximately one minute while no one else entered, and left the gym after a total of approximately five minutes, without using any equipment. After smoke became visible in the area between the gym and restroom, the fire department was called. In the parking lot, Caldwell remained in his vehicle for 10 additional minutes, waiting until after firefighters arrived to leave.
Investigators reviewed security footage from the Little Rock Athletic Club and located the suspect, later identified as Caldwell. Investigators also obtained security footage from 10 Fitness and identified an individual wearing the same clothes, shoes, and headphones as the suspect at the Little Rock Athletic Club.
Caldwell was later located at his residence. In the home and his vehicle investigators located shoes and a hooded sweatshirt consistent with what was observed on security footage.
On November 20, 2023, Caldwell was arrested on a federal complaint. On December 5, 2023, Caldwell was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of arson. Caldwell pleaded guilty to one count of arson committed at the Little Rock Athletic Club on February 4, 2025.
Judge Moody also sentenced Caldwell to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Little Rock Fire Department and the Little Rock Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.
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