Man Sentenced for Arson Attacks Targeting 2 Minnesota Mosques
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A man who set fires at two Minnesota mosques in back-to-back attacks has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison.
The fires forced evacuations, endangered worshippers and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, though no injuries were reported in either fire.
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The sentence was handed down Thursday in federal court in Minneapolis for arsons committed in April 2023 at places of worship in Minneapolis and Bloomington.
Jackie Rahm Little, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property in September 2025. The conviction includes a hate-crime component tied to targeting religious property.
PREVIOUSLY: Man Indicted in Minneapolis Mosque Arson Fires
According to court records, Little first targeted the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis on April 23, 2023. Investigators said he lit a cardboard box on fire inside a bathroom stall and intended for the fire to spread through the building. An employee interrupted him before flames could grow, and Little fled, leaving partially burned materials and a gas canister behind.
The following day, authorities said Little went to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque, also known as the Mercy Islamic Center, in Bloomington carrying a container of gasoline or another ignitable liquid. Prosecutors said he set fire to a third-floor hallway and stairwell while community leaders were gathered inside discussing the previous day’s incident. The building was evacuated, including children attending daycare inside the mosque.
That fire caused more than $378,000 in damage, according to federal authorities. Court records show Little will also be required to pay restitution tied to losses caused by the fires.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said, “In the United States, the desecration of places of worship will not be tolerated. All Minnesotans should feel safe freely exercising their religion. Little attempted to burn down two mosques. He will now sit in federal prison for his heinous crime.”
Judge Montgomery imposed a sentence above federal sentencing guideline recommendations, citing the seriousness of the offenses, the number of potential victims and the fact the crimes involved multiple acts of arson targeting places of worship.
During the hearing, Little addressed the court and said, “I want to apologize to the Muslim community … I’m very, very sorry.” He also told the court he had been experiencing a schizophrenic episode at the time of the fires.
Defense attorney James Becker said Little was diagnosed with schizophrenia for the first time early in the case after his April 2023 arrest. Montgomery allowed prosecutors to move forward only after Little received treatment while in custody. The judge described schizophrenia as “a horrible disease.”
Federal investigators with the FBI led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
