GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A man is accused of plotting to burn down two Grand Rapids businesses with jars of gasoline, or Molotov cocktails.

James Steven Cleland was arrested for knowingly possessing destructive devices, a special agent for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in a federal criminal complaint.

A confidential informant last week told ATF special agent Kyle Rademacher that Cleland wanted to burn down a Grand Rapids towing company and business property of a second victim.

The names of the alleged victims and their businesses were not contained in court records.

The informant said that Cleland sought “Mason” jars to construct the Molotov cocktails and planned to set fire to the buildings between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16.

The info

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