Baltimore Riots Arson Suspect Appears In Federal Court

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Federal agencies promising to track down looters and arsonists from April's riots have charged another suspect.

Alex DeMetrick has details on the latest arrest.

The charge is arson and the possible penalty -- severe.

This liquor store on West North Avenue has remained burned out and sealed up since the night it burned during the Baltimore riots.

"It's not just the video inside the stores that were burned, it's surveillance cameras outside," said U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein.

At least three cameras are outside the store that burned and while Stewart is the most recently charged he isn't the first.

Raymond Carter, 24, was charged and has pleaded guilty to setting the fire that burned the CVS pharmacy.

Cameras helped find him, but so did federal ATF agents working the arson cases.

"The is what they do and they've sent some of top agent to help us in Baltimore," Rosenstein said.

SEE: Reward Poster Liquor Store Arson Suspect

DEA agents are working to identity and arrest looters who stole drugs from pharmacies.

"We will identify and prosecute the members or people involved in any of these 30 pharmacies now," DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Ellerman.

Stewart made his first appearance in federal court, charged with one court malicious destruction of building by fire.

If convicted, the maximum penalty in 20 years in prison.

ATF agents are actively seeking others.

"We have least one more that's close to being charged and I anticipate there will be others in the future," Rosenstein said.

Stewart is currently in state custody.

A hearing next Friday will determine if he will be held in a federal lockup.

FBI agents are also actively investigating gang connections to they riot and the violent murder spree in the months that followed.