A Missouri woman has been sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for attempting to set fire to a Kansas City warehouse that had been considered for use as an immigration detention facility.
Dara S. O’Connor, 30, was sentenced Wednesday to 24 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $43,612 in damages, an amount she has already paid, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The incident happened on Feb. 12, 2026, at a warehouse on Botts Road in southern Kansas City. The property had been considered for purchase by the federal government for use by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house people awaiting immigration proceedings, but the proposed sale had fallen through earlier that day.
News crews were at the property reporting on the canceled deal when they recorded O’Connor approaching the building and attempting to set it on fire.
O’Connor threw 2 bottles containing flammable liquid at the warehouse, shattering them and spreading the liquid across part of the building. She then used a flame to ignite the liquid and tried to spread the fire by spraying additional accelerant from another bottle, according to court records.
After starting the fire, O’Connor sat on a nearby curb and used her cellphone for several minutes before leaving in a vehicle. The fire went out after a few minutes and did not spread further. No injuries were reported.
O’Connor pleaded guilty on May 7 to knowingly possessing 2 destructive devices that were not registered under the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Her sentencing took place before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and David Wagner, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson, prosecuted the case.