New charges filed in Planned Parenthood arson
A federal grand jury added new charges against a Columbia man accused of starting a fire at the Planned Parenthood on Providence Road.
On Wednesday, the grand jury indicted 42-year-old Wesley Kaster with using explosive material to maliciously damage federal property and with malicious use of explosive materials.
The new charges carry minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.
Surveillance video from both the clinic and neighboring business showed Kaster on Feb. 10 parking a van near the door of the clinic. It then showed him carrying a bucket to the clinic’s outer door, breaking the front door, putting the bucket inside the building and throwing what resembles a Molotov cocktail inside, according to a federal affidavit.
The court ordered Kaster to be detained until his trial. According to the court order, the evidence against Kaster is strong, and he has a history of alcohol and substance abuse as well as an unstable employment history.
Kaster was employed at a Jefferson City light manufacturing facility as a supervisor at the time of the incident.
