A man is facing up to 65 years in federal prison after allegedly lobbing a Molotov cocktail at a U.S. Army tank on display outside a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Sarasota on Valentine’s Day.
Trang Johnny Nha Phan was indicted Tuesday in federal court in Tampa on multiple felony charges, including attempted arson of federal property, possession of a destructive device as a convicted felon, and use of a Molotov cocktail in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to the indictment, on February 14, Phan attempted to set fire to a static display tank outside VFW Sunshine Post 3233 on Tuttle Avenue. The tank—an M60A3 main battle tank from the 1970s—is still technically property of the U.S. Army.
VFW Quartermaster Ken Thomas was at the post when the attack happened. He told local media that he saw Phan throw the incendiary device at the tank, but it failed to ignite. “The bottle didn’t even break,” Thomas said. “It just rolled off the tank.” No injuries were reported.
The M60A3 tank involved in the incident is often mistaken for a Vietnam War relic, but it never saw combat in that conflict. While some support variants like the M60 AVLB and M728 CEV were deployed to Southeast Asia, the standard M60 main battle tank was not used in Vietnam. The U.S. relied primarily on the M48 Patton in that war, given the limited threat posed by enemy armor.
No motive for the attack has been released. The surname “Phan” is common in Vietnam, but there is currently no indication of a political or personal connection to the Vietnam War or to veterans’ organizations.
At the time of the incident, Phan had prior convictions for violent threats and heroin possession in Minnesota. He now faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and up to 65 years in federal prison if convicted on all counts. Authorities have also stated their intent to seize assets allegedly connected to the offense.
The case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating violent crime, transnational criminal organizations, and narcotics trafficking. The investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from the Sarasota Police Department and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
Despite the lack of damage, the attempted attack struck a nerve in the local veteran community.
“This is a place where our veterans come to feel safe, share stories, and find brotherhood,” said Thomas. “And then this happens. I don’t think they can give him enough time.”
As always, it’s important to note that an indictment is not a conviction. Phan is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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