Federal arson charges were dismissed Thursday against a 19-year-old woman from Ramsey, Minn., who was arrested in June in connection with a fire set at a St. Paul nutrition store.
Magistrate Judge Hildy Bowbeer ordered the charges dropped against Bailey Marie Baldus on the recommendation of federal prosecutors.
In a motion filed Wednesday seeking the dismissal, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Ebert and Joseph Teirab wrote that "the government is continuing its investigation into this matter, including reviewing material seized pursuant to search warrants and reviewing other evidence to determine the scope of the alleged conduct by Ms. Baldus and others."
Besides Baldus, federal authorities have also arrested two other people for the May 28 fire at the Great Health and Nutrition store at 1360 W. University Av., which took place three days after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The original complaint, filed June 8, said that Baldus conspired with McKenzy Ann Degidio Dunn and Samuel Elliott Frey to commit arson.
Daniel Guerrero, a defense attorney who was appointed to represent Baldus through the federal public defender's office, said he was notified Wednesday that charges were being dropped.
"The video [from the store] shows she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was not familiar with the individuals that were arguably responsible for the arson at the health supplement store," Guerrero said.
A spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minneapolis could not be reached for comment.
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