Californian sentenced in Dayton depot arson

Lyon County District Attorney Stephen B. Rye announced that the Third Judicial District Court sentenced Kurt Robert Selzer, 64, of Oak View, Calif., to 30 to 81 months in Nevada State Prison and restitution of $25,000.

Selzer pleaded guilty Sept. 27 to first-degree arson, a category B felony. On June 17, 2020, Selzer set fire to the Dayton Railroad Depot building in Dayton. The depot was a historic building that was in the process of restoration at the time.

“The historic building was destroyed by the fire,” Rye said in a statement. “The historic depot was one of a kind and is irreplaceable. The crime affected the entire Dayton community. The prison sentence in this case sends a message that the court and community takes these crimes very seriously. The sheriff’s office and Central Lyon Fire acted quickly and professionally in investigating this case and arresting Mr. Selzer for committing this crime.”

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and Central Lyon County Fire Protection District led the investigation.

Carmela Reed, senior deputy district attorney, prosecuted the case.