SANTA MONICA—Micah Tillmon, 20, a resident of West Hills, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, August 31 to one count of possession of a lethal agent which he used to set fire to Sake House by Hikari, a Japanese restaurant located on Santa Monica Boulevard and Fourth Street. Tillmon set the blaze while protesting against the murder of George Floyd on May 31, 2020.
The Santa Monica Police Department reported that Tillmon was captured on a surveillance video using a red tube-shaped gadget to start the fire.
To adhere to safety protocol, firefighters were unable to put out the fire during the civil disturbance and were forced to return later that night to extinguish the blaze.
According to court documents, Tillman is expcted to appear in court on December 6 and required to pay a restitution fee of $500,000 during sentencing. If convicted, Tillman can serve up to 10 years in prison.
