Smith County Man Sentenced for Attempted Arson of Methadone Clinic

TYLER – A Tyler building contractor has been sentenced for federal arson-related charges. Daniel Kubisty, 55, pleaded guilty January 9 to attempted arson. He was sentenced in Tyler yesterday to 16 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Kubisty was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,824.

Federal prosecutors say, on March 19, 2012, Kubisty accepted $3,000 from Edward Jacobs to burn down a building located at 3322 East Fifth Street in Tyler that was being used by the Add-Life Recovery Center methadone clinic. Kubisty and Jacobs conspired to burn down the building in order to gain a competitive advantage for the Methadone Clinic of East Texas, which was owned by Jacobs and also had an office in Tyler. On March 19, 2012 Kubisty was arrested in Tyler by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and was found to have a gasoline can, with a wick saturated in gasoline protruding from its neck, in the back of his pickup.

After Kubisty’s arrest, Jacobs feared Kubisty would testify against him, and on June 1, 2012, he arranged a meeting with a man he believed he could hire to murder Kubisty in order to prevent Kubisty’s testimony. During the meeting, Jacobs offered to pay the hit-man $12,000 for Kubisty’s murder. ATF was monitoring the meeting and arrested Jacobs at the scene. On December 18, 2012 Jacobs pleaded guilty to attempted arson and solicitation of murder for hire. He was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison on March 14 and ordered to pay over $12,000 in restitution.