Federal judge sentences Jackie Rahm Little to 70 months for arson at two Twin Cities mosques

Sentence follows 2023 fires at Minneapolis and Bloomington Islamic centers

A federal judge has sentenced Jackie Rahm Little, 38, to 70 months in prison for intentionally setting fires at two Twin Cities mosques in April 2023. The court also imposed three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of more than $378,000.

The sentence resolves a federal case that included one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property. Little pleaded guilty in September 2025. The case drew sustained attention from Muslim community leaders and civil-rights advocates because the targets were houses of worship and because the incidents unfolded within a 24-hour span.

What happened at the two mosques

Court records describe two separate incidents:

• April 23, 2023: A fire was started inside a bathroom at the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis. Investigators said Little lit cardboard in a bathroom stall and intended for the fire to spread. An employee interrupted the attempt, and Little fled, leaving partially burned materials and a gas container behind.

• April 24, 2023: A fire was set at Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington, also known as the Mercy Islamic Center. Authorities said Little brought an ignitable liquid into the building and ignited a fire in a third-floor hallway and stairwell.

The Bloomington incident forced an evacuation of the mosque, including children attending an on-site daycare program. The resulting property damage was assessed at more than $378,000.

Evidence cited in the case

Investigators relied heavily on surveillance footage and related records. Authorities said video showed Little entering the Bloomington mosque with a bag and that a fire was discovered shortly afterward. Additional surveillance footage and receipts were used to place him at a nearby gas station where he purchased and filled a gasoline container after the Bloomington fire, based on the federal court record summarized in charging and plea materials.

Legal context and what comes next

The federal conviction carries significant penalties, including a mandatory minimum term tied to the arson charge. The restitution order is intended to address documented repair and associated losses linked to the mosque damage.

Little also faces related proceedings in state court, where a hearing date has been scheduled. The federal sentence and restitution order do not automatically end state-level prosecution, which typically addresses violations of Minnesota law arising from the same conduct.

The case has been closely watched locally because it involved attacks on houses of worship and because the two incidents occurred on consecutive days, heightening concern about community safety and potential repeat targeting.

No one was reported physically injured in either fire, but the incidents prompted emergency evacuations and extensive damage, particularly at the Bloomington site.