CHEYENNE (WNE) — A 22-year-old Casper woman was sentenced to five years of incarceration for setting fire to Wyoming’s only surgical abortion clinic in 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming announced Thursday. At the time, the clinic was still under construction, which was delayed by the fire.

Lorna R. Green was arrested in March, nearly a year after the incident, which took place on May 25, 2022, according to a news release. Local authorities saw smoke coming from the Wellspring Health Access Clinic building in Casper and were able to identify a suspect from video footage and witness statements.

Authorities said she was able to gain access to the building by breaking a window. She was able to escape before any calls to authorities were made and was apprehended about 10 months later. 

“Green admitted that she set fire to the clinic,” the press release read, “which was under construction at the time and planned to offer OB/GYN services, gender affirming care, and abortion procedures.”

Along with the Casper Police Department, two federal agencies were involved in Green’s apprehension.The matter was also investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Green was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson Thursday. Johnson sentenced her to five years incarceration and three years of supervised release.

“No matter what an individual’s opinions or objectives may be, the use of violence and property destruction to advance them is never acceptable,” U.S. Attorney Nick Vassallo said in the news release. “This was a reckless and serious crime which endangered the community and caused significant financial harm to the clinic’s owner.”