US 1 fires started to cover robberies

By Amanda Stewart

Published: May 23, 2008

One of three men charged with setting fire to two businesses on U.S. 1 in Woodbridge pleaded guilty in federal court this week.

Raymond Potoski, 38, of 13446 Greenacre Drive in Woodbridge, submitted the plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to one count of arson and aiding and abetting, according to court

documents.

Prosecutors dropped two other charges against Potoski: one count of arson and aiding and abetting and one count of conspiracy to commit arson.

According to a statement of facts on file at U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Potoski and two other men, Santiago Ravens and Robert Williams, went to Meadow Farms Nursery at 14135 Jefferson Davis Highway in Woodbridge late at night on Nov. 25 to steal money.

While there, Potoski and other other men realized they were

being recorded by surveillance equipment, the court documents state.

To destroy the evidence of the burglary, the men started a fire, according to the court documents.

Next, they decided to break into Playtime Pools and Spas, at 14304 Jefferson Davis Highway to steal money and checks.

Potoski and Ravens entered the business while Williams stayed outside and acted as a lookout, the court documents said.

After stealing money and checks, the men set a fire to destroy evidence of the theft, prosecutors said in court docu-ments.

A few weeks later, Potoski cashed one of the stolen checks at a check cashing business on U.S. 1, prosecutors said.

As part of a plea agreement, Potoski agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $1.45 million to

Playtime Pools and Spas and $570,000 to Meadows Farms, Inc.

Potoski will be sentenced in federal court on July 25. He faces five to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Potoski is also charged in Prince William Circuit Court with forgery, statutory burglary and obtaining money by false pretenses in connection with the thefts and arsons.

He is scheduled to enter a plea to those charges in Prince William Circuit Court on June 5.

Ravens and Williams also face federal and state charges in connection with the arsons.

Both men are charged in federal court with conspiracy to commit arson and two counts of arson and aiding and abetting.

Williams is scheduled to stand trial in U.S. District Court in Alexandria on June 4; Ravens' trial is scheduled for July 7.

In Prince William Circuit Court, Williams is scheduled to enter a plea on May 29 to charges of forgery, false pre-tenses and statutory

burglary.

Ravens faces the same charges in Circuit Court, but has not been indicted by the grand jury.

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