13° and Sunny
Image
Minneapolis, MN
In late April 2023, during the holy month of Ramadan, two mosques in the Twin Cities were set ablaze on consecutive days. Children were inside one building. Worshippers were gathering in another. Within hours, fear rippled through Minnesota’s Muslim community.
On February 19, 2026, that chapter closed in federal court.
Thirty-eight-year-old Jackie Rahm Little of Plymouth was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to arson and damage to religious property. U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery also ordered three years of supervised release and restitution totaling more than $378,000.
The sentence followed what prosecutors described as two deliberate acts of arson targeting Muslim houses of worship in Minneapolis and Bloomington.
April 23, 2023: Fire at Masjid Omar
On April 23, 2023, authorities say Little entered the Masjid Omar Islamic Center, located inside the “24 Somali Mall” in Minneapolis. According to court records, he ignited a cardboard box inside a bathroom stall, intending for the fire to spread through the building.
An employee interrupted him. Little fled, leaving behind a gas canister.
The damage was limited, but the intent was not. Prosecutors later told the court that the fire could have endangered worshippers and nearby businesses in the densely occupied commercial building.
April 24, 2023: Fire at Mercy Islamic Center
The following day, April 24, Little entered the Mercy Islamic Center, also known as Masjid Al Rahma, in Bloomington. This time, prosecutors said, he carried a container of gasoline.
He poured the liquid in a third-floor hallway and stairwell and set it on fire.
At that very moment, mosque leaders were meeting inside to discuss the previous day’s arson in Minneapolis. Approximately 40 to 50 children were in the building’s daycare program.
Everyone was evacuated safely. No injuries were reported. But the fire caused more than $378,000 in damage, according to federal authorities.
The timing and proximity of the two fires sent a clear message to the community: this was not random.
Arrest, Investigation, and Motive
Little was arrested April 29, 2023, in Mankato after a multi-agency investigation. While the initial charges centered on arson, court filings revealed a broader pattern of hostility directed at the Muslim community.
Prosecutors cited a documented history of targeted harassment, including an incident in which Little allegedly emailed a photo of a Qur’an placed in a toilet to U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. He was also suspected in January 2023 vandalism that included spray-painting “500” on Rep. Omar’s office door, a Somali police officer’s patrol car, and the entrance to the Somali Mall.
Federal court records further indicated a history of severe mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. At one point, Little was held at a federal medical center for treatment to restore competency before the case could proceed. He ultimately entered a guilty plea in September 2025.
A Sentence Above the Guidelines
In handing down the 70-month sentence, Judge Montgomery imposed a term higher than the standard federal guideline range. The court cited the serious nature of the crimes, the multiple acts of arson, and the high number of potential victims, including children, as justification for the upward departure.
In addition to prison time and supervised release, Little was ordered to pay restitution to the Mercy Islamic Center and its insurance provider for the substantial damage caused by the Bloomington fire.
Federal law provides enhanced penalties when arson interferes with the free exercise of religion. Prosecutors emphasized that houses of worship are protected spaces under federal civil rights statutes, particularly when they are targeted because of faith.
Fear, Faith, and Resilience
For Minnesota’s Muslim community, the fires were not isolated incidents. They unfolded amid rising national concerns about threats to religious institutions.
In the days following the attacks, law enforcement increased patrols around mosques across the metro area. Interfaith leaders publicly condemned the arsons. Christian, Jewish, and civic organizations offered solidarity and support.
Ramadan prayers resumed. Repairs began. The sanctuaries were restored.
The sentencing brings legal closure, but community leaders have said the deeper task continues: safeguarding religious freedom and ensuring that sacred spaces remain places of refuge, not fear.
For MinneapoliMedia, this story is more than a courtroom outcome. It is a reminder that institutions built for prayer can become targets, and that communities built on faith can endure even deliberate attempts to set them aflame.
