Nespelem man charged with arson in 250-acre brush fire

A federal grand jury found enough evidence to indict a Nespelem, Wash., man on charges of setting fire to tribal lands on the Colville Reservation last summer. The grass and brush fire allegedly set by Mylan Williams, 34, burned about 250 acres, threatening homes just north of Elmer City, which is near Coulee Dam. Colville Tribal Police investigated the incident. Williams, who is a member of the tribe, was arrested and booked into the tribe’s correctional facility where he was held on tribal charges for arson. If convicted in U.S. District Court, Williams could face up to five years in prison. Williams is also a person of interest in a July 31 house fire in Coulee Dam, said Michael Finley, chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.