Arson charges dropped in U.S. 1 business fires

By Amanda Stewart

Published: April 16, 2008

The three men charged in connection with a pair of business fires on U.S. 1 in November will not face arson charges in Prince William County.

Prosecutors dropped those charges during a hearing in Prince William General District Court on Tuesday.

Federal arson and conspiracy to commit arson charges are still pending against the three men, Raymond Charles Potoski Jr., 38, Robert Gene Williams, 33, and Santiago Joseph Ravens, 19, all of 13446 Greenacre Drive in Woodbridge, at U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

The men also still face charges of burglary, obtaining money by false pretenses and forging coin or bank notes in Prince William Circuit Court.

All of the charges stem from Nov. 25 fires at Playtime Pools and Spas and Meadows Farm Nursery, in Woodbridge.

The charges are federal because the fires occurred at businesses "used in interstate commerce," according to court documents.

The fires both occurred late at night on Nov. 25, within an hour of each other, officials said.

Prosecutors believe that the men conspired to steal money and checks from safes at the businesses and then set fire to the businesses "in order to remove evidence of the theft," according to documents on file at U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

The fire at Playtime Pools and Spas caused about $690,000 in damages and the Meadow Farms Nursery fire caused about $250,000 in damages, according to court documents.

Weeks after the fires, Potoski and Williams cashed two checks stolen from the businesses for $1,200 each, according to Prince William County court documents.

Police used the cashed checks to connect the men to the business fires, the documents state.

An alarm in the safe at Meadow Farms also recorded voices that match Williams' and Potoski's voices, the documents stated.

On Tuesday, Williams and Potoski appeared in Prince William General District Court for preliminary hearings.

Potoski was originally charged with 12 felonies—including two counts of arson --and two misdemeanors, for the thefts and fires.

Prosecutors dropped 11 of those charges Tuesday: two counts of arson of an unoccupied building, two counts of petit larceny, three counts of forgery, one count of obtaining money by false pretenses, two counts of destruction of property and one count of burglary.

Potoski waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Prince William General District Court on the remaining charges—obtaining money by false pretenses, burglary and forging coin and bank notes—which will be considered by the grand jury on May 5.

Williams originally faced 12 charges, including two counts of arson.

Prosectors dropped nine of Williams' charges: one count of obtaining money by false pretenses, two counts of forgery, one count of forging coin and bank notes, two counts of destruction of property, one count of burglary and two counts of arson.

Williams waived his right to a preliminary hearing on his three remaining charges: one count each of forging coin and bank notes, obtaining money by false pretenses and burglary. Those charges will also be sent to the grand jury in May.

Ravens originally faced six charges, including two counts of arson. Prosecutors dropped four of the charges Tuesday: the two counts of arson and two counts of destruction of property.

Ravens still faces two counts of burglary. He was also scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, but did not, because he is in the custody of federal officials in Indiana, where he was recently arrested, prosecutors said.

In addition to the charges the men face in Prince William County, each faces three federal charges in connection with the fires, according to federal court documents

A federal grand jury indicted the three men in March on charges of conspiracy to commit arson and two counts of arson and aiding and abetting.

Potoski and Williams are scheduled to stand trial on the arson charges at U.S. District Court in Alexandria on June 4.

Ravens' trial date has not yet been set.

If the men are indicted by the Prince William grand jury, trial dates will be set for them in Prince William Circuit Court.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.