Gardena Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Throwing Molotov Cocktail Inside Torrance Bank Branch

LOS ANGELES – A South Bay woman was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for throwing a Molotov cocktail inside a bank in Torrance after having a dispute with the branch manager.

Teranee Millet, 35, of Gardena, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr.

Millet pleaded guilty on March 21 to unlawful possession of a firearm and destructive device.

On September 20, 2021, Millet entered a Bank of America branch in Torrance. She spoke to the bank manager and demanded to be helped by another teller because she believed she had been waiting in line for too long.

When the bank manager informed her that no other tellers were available and she would have to continue waiting, Millet used profane language and then yelled, “I’m going to blow this bitch up!” In response, the bank manager called 911 and informed law enforcement of Millet’s comments.

A few minutes later, Millet returned to the bank branch and threw a Molotov cocktail into the bank, causing a fire in the middle of the bank. A bank customer successfully extinguished the fire. On her way out of the bank’s parking lot and before law enforcement arrived, she threatened another customer and threw a glass bottle at the customer’s truck, causing minor damage to the vehicle. Police responded within a few minutes, secured the scene and recovered the item that Millet threw on the floor.

Law enforcement used bank surveillance photos to help identify Millet.

Millet was arrested in Georgia in December 2021, after she led law enforcement on a chase in a stolen U-Haul van that ended with the van crashing, according to court documents. Inside the van, law enforcement recovered a gym bag containing four packs of glass bottles with tissue paper inserted inside the bottles, a can of lighter fluid and a five-gallon can of gasoline, according to court documents. Millet sustained injuries in the crash and later received medical treatment. She has been in custody since that time.

The FBI, the Torrance Police Department, and the Torrance Fire Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Kellye Ng of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.