Man charged with arson, accused of starting fire inside a St. Cloud shelter

A man accused of starting a fire inside a shelter in St. Cloud is facing up to 45 years in prison on felony charges.

According to a criminal complaint, Devon Thomas Fullerton, 23, is facing two counts of first-degree arson and one count of first-degree criminal damage to property. He faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty on all charges.

The complaint says that on Friday, the St. Cloud Police Department was called to the Lincoln Center, a shelter where people reside and sleep, for a fire.

The fire was determined to have been set in room 18, where Fullerton had been staying as a tenant.

Fullerton had reportedly set his clothing on fire, as well as a wall in his room; police said they found a can of WD-40, a cigarette butt and hydrogen peroxide inside the room.

Witnesses told authorities that Fullerton had entered his room with a sledgehammer and later heard him slam it against the wall of his room. After they saw him leave the room, witnesses said smoke began coming from the room around five minutes later. They added that no one else was in the room or hallway prior to the smoke being noticed.

Fullerton was later located and arrested by police. He denied starting the fire, stating the can of WD-40 and the hydrogen peroxide were not his. Fullerton admitted that he occasionally smokes in his room, but said he had put his cigarette out before leaving, court documents state.

He also admitted to damaging the wall, stating he had taken a baseball bat to it because he was frustrated with his situation in life.