SAN ANTONIO – A man accused of setting fire to several cell phone towers across San Antonio has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison for charges he pleaded guilty to, federal authorities say.
Sean Aaron Smith, 30, pleaded guilty in August to six counts of arson of cellphone towers and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Western District of Texas.
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The 78-month prison sentence is for two charges — possession of a firearm and arson affecting interstate and foreign commerce.
Authorities said Smith “maliciously attempted to damage and destroy” the towers by lighting them on fire between April 2021 and May 2022.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, a witness told a Texas Rangers investigator that Smith “possessed anti-government views” and was on a mission “to burn down 5G cell phone towers.”
He was arrested on May 13, 2022, during a traffic stop. At that time, he had a handgun on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat, the news release states.
It adds that more firearms were found during a search of his apartment.
“Smith knowingly possessed the firearms after being previously convicted of two felony crimes where he served more than a year imprisonment on each,” the release states.
He faces between five and 20 years in prison for each count related to arson. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count related to possession.
He will be sentenced at a later date.
The San Antonio Fire Department, FBI, San Antonio Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Rangers investigated the case.