A Galesburg man pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for Minnesota Wednesday after he was arrested during the civil unrest that followed George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis.
28-year-old Matthew Rupert pleaded guilty to arson in exchange for prosecutors dropping charges of inciting a riot and possession of an explosive device.
Rupert’s plea states that he posted messages on his Facebook account referencing the public protests occurring in the Twin Cities following the death of George Floyd.
That includes one that said, “I’m going to Minneapolis tomorrow who coming only goons I’m renting hotel rooms.” The next day on May 29, Rupert posted a self-recorded cellphone video to his Facebook announcing that he came to “riot.”
He also was encouraging violence against law enforcement officers, actively damaging property, breaking into buildings, and looting businesses.
Rupert can be seen asking for lighter fluid before entering a boarded-up Sprint store. Rupert then canvasses the store and eventually enters a backroom while telling others that he had located a store safe.
Rupert and others then knocked several boxes into a pile on the ground. He sprays the pile of boxes with lighter fluid and another individual— at the time a juvenile and acting at Rupert’s direction—lit the pile on fire.
Then Rupert fled the damaged building and stated, “I lit it on fire!”
Several associates were reported to be with him at the time of Matthew Rupert’s arrest, including his girlfriend, and 29-year-old Christopher Rupert.
Galesburg Police are well acquainted with Rupert, as the Chicago Sun-Times documented. Galesburg Police Chief Russ Idle told the paper about Rupert and his brother- “They’re very hostile toward law enforcement, very expressive of that.”
Rupert faces between 5 to 20 years in prison.
A sentencing date has not been set.
