The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — One of the more visible protesters during last year’s unrest in Ferguson has been sentenced to eight years in prison for starting a fire at a gas station during demonstrations after a fatal police shooting in nearby Berkeley.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports a St. Louis County circuit judge sentenced 19-year-old Joshua Williams on Thursday. Williams pleaded guilty last month to arson, burglary and stealing.
The fire at a QuikTrip was lit during protests over the killing of Antonio Martin, who was fatally shot in December by a police officer at a gas station across the street.
Prosecutors had asked for a 15-year sentence, while Williams’ attorney asked for a suspended or lesser sentence.
Williams was frequently quoted and photographed while protesting the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson.
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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch