by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First, Vermont Business Magazine
A federal judge in Burlington has ruled he wants to have a competency determination for an out-of-state man who is charged with torching a historic Vermont building that included the office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in Burlington last year.
Shant M. Soghomonian, 35, formerly of Northridge, CA, is charged with maliciously setting an April 5, 2024, fire to the former Masonic Temple at 1 Church Street that housed several offices, including the law firm of Paul Frank & Collins.
Soghomonian has not cooperated with authorities in other efforts to get a competency evaluation, according to Senior Federal Judge WIlliam K. Sessions III, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher and Chief Federal Defender Michael Desautels.
Soghomonian has spent several recent months in California waiting for an examination ordered by Sessions in February, but the defendant refused to cooperate with the doctor, the lawyers noted. Sessions said during a brief court hearing on Monday he wants to hear from that doctor who met several times with Soghomonian, but did not get to formally evaluate him. Lasher proposed the doctor be allowed to testify by video from California, but Desautels said his client objected and wanted her to travel to Vermont.
Sessions said he thought there would be no difference in the testimony whether it was in person or by video. He ruled the doctor would not be required to come across the country for the hearing.
The judge asked Lasher to try to get the doctor scheduled in the coming weeks.
Federal Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle had said at an early hearing in the case that he was concerned that Soghomonian had a serious mental health history and that he was not receiving treatment.
There were a few red flags during that hearing. Soghomonian had self-reported to the FBI in Los Angeles that the government had been hacking into his devices and that he also had claimed drones were reading his mind, records showed.
The defendant, also known as Michael Soghomonian, began living in Vermont in July 2024 with no known job and was apparently being funded by his parents, Lasher has said. He noted Soghomonian was itinerant.
During the February 2025 court hearing, Sessions noted he had ordered a competency hearing and the defense requested that it be done local.
Dr. Renee Sorrentino came from Quincy, Mass. for the examination at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans, but after working with his case manager, Soghomonian balked at cooperating twice, Lasher has said.
Soghomonian then began a long rambling statement to the court during the 9-minute hearing in February.
"The entire political system is trying to cover up extreme acts, insane acts of violence and terror by the government," Soghomonian said.
"That's why these hearings are being held. The people involved in these proceedings have been ling for the government, allowing the government to commit an historic crime against the people of this country, a crime that is happening now as I speak, a crime that cannot be forgotten and therefore will not be covered up," he said.
Soghomonian went on for a few more minutes before Sessions told him he could submit more comments in writing.
Sessions then ordered him into the custody of the U.S. Attorney General and so he could be placed by the Bureau of Prisons for a competency request. It was supposed to happen this spring, but Soghomonian balked when he eventually arrived at the facility in California, officials said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested Soghomonian two days after the fire was set at the top of the Church Street Marketplace.
ATF located Soghomonian at the Quality Inn in Shelburne following a one-night stay on the morning of April 7 as he prepared to leave.
ATF agents reported early in the case they had determined he had lived for much of February and March at the former La Quinta Inn, next to Al's French Fries on Williston Road in South Burlington.
Doyle later at a court hearing ordered Soghomonian jailed as both a danger to the community and a risk to flee.
Doyle said he found by clear and convincing evidence that there were no conditions or combination of conditions that would allow the defendant's safe release into the community.
He also ruled that by preponderance of the evidence there were no conditions to reasonably assure Soghomonian would appear for future court hearings.
Lasher had said Soghomonian had an AK-47 rifle with two magazines in his vehicle during a traffic stop by the Illinois State Police in August 2024.
Lasher also reported there was evidence of an apparent conviction when Soghomonian was 16 years-old that involved an assault with a gun. Details of the case apparently are under seal, but the defense team said it would reach out to the lawyer that handled the case.
Lasher had reported a subsequent attempt one week later to buy a gun in Pennsylvania by Soghomonian failed to go through and the prosecutor theorized it might be because of the earlier gun conviction in California.
Lasher said there appeared to have been a second attempt to buy a gun on January 24, 2024 but it was denied. He had no details. The defendant's parents, Nora and Dick, were willing to have their son live with them in California, according to his former lawyer, Mary Nerino. His mother was willing to move to Vermont to be with him if he needed to stay locally, Nerino had said.
The ATF has reported Soghomonian entered the former Masonic Temple on the morning of April 5 and went to the third floor where he was recorded on a security video spraying a liquid near the outer door of the Senator's office.
Soghomonian then used a handheld lighter to set the entrance on fire, the ATF said. The suspect fled down the stairs.
ATF later conducted court-ordered searches at his motel room in Shelburne and his 2019 blue Subaru Impreza parked outside following the arrest.
Among the items seized were clothing and sneakers that matched those worn by the arsonist, Lasher said.
The ATF also seized a City Market tote bag consistent with a bag shown in a security video outside the targeted building in the arson, Lasher said. The bag had a handheld long-neck lighter, matches and fire starter materials, the veteran prosecutor said.
Sanders wasn't at the Burlington office during the fire, but seven of his staff members were inside when the arsonist torched the office door about 10:45 a.m. Nobody was injured.
Employees of Paul Frank & Collins law firm, one of the other building tenants, also fled the building.
Peter McDougall, president of the law firm, reported the staff was able to keep operating on behalf of their clients. He said a second floor conference room was damaged by leaking water.
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