St. Cloud Adult Store Arson Suspect Captured By Police

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The fire that took place last week is being considered an act of arson and police have captured a suspect in last Thursday’s fire at the Pure Pleasure adult bookstore located at 510 US-10 U.S. 10

The male suspect identified as thirty-two-year-old Cody Mann of Sauk Rapids, has been charged with two counts of 1st Degree Arson in Benton County District Court. A witness on scene told police that he had given a man carrying a gas can a ride to the bookstore. The driver dropped him off at Pure Pleasure, thinking he owned one of the cars in the lot and had run out of gas.

Police told JRL CHARTS that after Mann entered the adult store, he told the employee inside… “I’m gonna burn this place down. I’m sick of this store”. Thankfully the Pure Pleasure Surveillance videos captured Mann pouring gas on magazines and videos in four different areas inside the store. He then set the gas on fire.

The employee immediately ran outside and called the police. The clerk and the driver who brought him there watched Mann as he exited the store and pointed officers toward the Americanna Inn where he was arrested nearby.

According to early estimates, damage to the adult store is estimated to be over $380,000. The breakdown of the damages came in at – Building damage is estimated at about $55,000 with the loss of furniture and inventory estimated at $325,000. The building is has now been considered a total loss.