BURLINGTON — A federal judge has ordered a competency hearing for a California man accused of setting a fire at the Burlington office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders a little more than a year ago.

Judge William K. Sessions III said Monday in federal court in Burlington that a hearing to take testimony on the competency of 36-year-old ShantSoghomonian would be set within the next 30 days. 

A recent evaluation of Soghomonian conducted by a psychologist raised questions about his competency to stand trial and effectively assist in his defense, Sessions said during Monday’s hearing.

The evaluation has been filed with the court under seal, preventing the public from seeing it.

Michael Desautels, Soghomonian’s attorney, said in court Monday that he wanted a competency hearing set to take testimony from the psychologist who did the evaluation and potentially other witnesses, including Soghomonian himself.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher, the prosecutor, told the judge the only witness he anticipated needing for that hearing would be the psychologist, who is based in California. 

Desautels said his client wanted the psychologist to testify during the competency hearing in person in the Burlington courtroom. However, Lasher objected, and Sessions agreed to allow the psychologist to testify remotely by video from California.  

Soghomonian pleaded not guilty a little more than a year ago to a charge alleging that on April 5, 2024, he “maliciously damaged, and attempted to damage and destroy” the building at 1 Church St. in Burlington, which houses the local office of Sanders, Vermont’s independent senator 

Specifically, according to police and court filings, Soghomonian has been accused of setting fire to the entryway leading to Sanders’ office in the historic downtown building. 

The senator was not in the office at the time, according to court records, and none of his seven staffers who were in the building were physically injured.

The building, which also contains other businesses, including a law firm and bank, sustained water damage, and the door leading to the senator’s office was charred, the court filings stated. 

No motive for the fire has been revealed through court records or by authorities who investigated it.

Soghomonian appeared in court Monday wearing a green prison uniform and talked at times with his attorney during the hearing. He has been in custody since his arrest shortly after the fire in April 2024.

Soghomonian, who had previously lived in California, had been staying in hotels around Chittenden County in the days leading up to the fire, court records stated.

If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years behind bars, with the possibility of up to 20 years in prison.

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