Moulin Rouge fire suspect must pay $5.6 million

Jace Radke

Monday, March 1, 2004 | 11:10 a.m.

In a closed federal court hearing on Feb. 20, one of the men alleged to have been responsible for the fire that destroyed the historic Moulin Rouge was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay $5.6 million in restitution.

According to court documents, Fred Ball was sentenced on a charge of arson and aiding and abetting by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hunt in connection with the fire, but the details of his case remain under seal. Court records show that he was not indicted, but did have criminal information filed against him.

Beyond Ball's sentence, all other information about his case remains sealed, said Natalie Collins, a spokeswoman with the U.S. attorney's office. Collins declined to comment further on the case.

Ball, 45, and John Antwan Caver, 29, were originally charged with arson and conspiracy charges by Clark County District Attorney David Roger following the May 29 blaze that destroyed the long-closed casinos.

The county charges were dropped against both men last fall when federal authorities took over the prosecution of the case that was investigated by Las Vegas Fire officials and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"We agreed that the U.S. attorney's office and the ATF would take over the prosecution" because federal officials have more resources that local authorities, Roger said in November when the case came under federal control.

No federal charges had been filed against Caver, according to court records.

ATF officials said their investigation was continuing.

County prosecutors had alleged that Ball, also known as "Bubba," served as a lookout while Caver, nicknamed "Antman," set the fire in the early morning hours of May 29.

Ball had admitted to investigators that he helped set the fire and implicated Caver as his co-conspirator, county prosecutors said.

Caver and Ball were arrested in June and freed on bond.

Three people were hurt in the three-alarm fire, which burned for hours and left little except the Moulin Rouge's marquee.

About 100 residents living in apartments made from converted hotel rooms at the property were evacuated.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Damage from the fire was estimated at $12 million.06