A jury found former Tucson businessman Todd Russell Fries guilty Thursday of all charges stemming from a series of incidents in which he terrorized customers of his power washing business.
Fries, who is in prison after being convicted on federal charges related to this case, faced a 27-count state indictment, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder. He also is accused of arson, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, endangerment and other crimes.
The jury found him guilty of all charges, except it changed the arson charge to reckless burning, a lesser offense.
The attempted murder charges stem from a 2009 incident in which chlorine tablets mixed with other chemicals were set on fire outside the house of a northwest-side couple, causing plumes of chlorine to spew into the air. He was the owner of Burns Power Washing at the time.
Sheriffβs deputies responded to the scene after calls from neighbors and helped the couple escape out the back door.
Fries is serving a 17-year sentence in federal prison after convictions in 2012 and 2013 for unlawful possession and use of a chemical weapon, providing false information to federal agents, and possession of unregistered destructive devices.
Sentencing has not been scheduled.
