A Sarasota man will spend eight years in federal prison for trying to set fire to the Cold War-era tank displayed outside VFW Sunshine Post 3233 on Tuttle Avenue. Trang Johnny Nha Phan, 34, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in June to attempted arson of federal property and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
The incident happened on Feb. 14, 2025. A law enforcement officer witnessed a fire ignite on the front of the M60 A-3 tank and saw Phan walk away toward his vehicle, according to prosecutors. Investigators later recovered a spray-painted glass liquor bottle and gasoline-soaked paper towels. Phan’s fingerprints were on a spray-paint canister, and his DNA was on the bottle. Post quartermaster Ken Thomas said the makeshift bomb never worked, the bottle didn’t break and simply rolled off the tank.
The federal charges hinged on one key detail: the M60 A-3 is still technically U.S. Army property, which makes it federally protected even though it sits on private VFW grounds. The tank itself was left essentially undamaged and remains on display outside the post.
What do you think, does an eight-year sentence fit a crime where the damage amounted to nothing? Let us know in the comments.
