The Cambridge Fire Department has filed criminal complaints against Leverett House residents James M. Carter ’02 and Colin S. Donnelly ’03 in the wake of an early morning arson in Mather House Sunday, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

Brian Higgins, an arson investigator for CFD, said the two students will be charged with “attempt to burn a building” and “malicious destruction.”

Carter could not be reached for comment yesterday, and Donnelly said he had been “instructed not to talk about the incident.”

The charges stem from a fire that CFD officials said was intentionally started in a door basket on the 11th floor of Mather around 4 a.m. Sunday morning.

The fire caused minimal damage and was quickly extinguished by a Mather resident.

Dana M. Casaus ’02, whose door box was set on fire, said she thought it was randomly selected by the suspects because it contained more papers than the other boxes in the area.

College administrators, including Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 and Leverett Allston Burr Senior Tutor Catherine Shapiro, also declined comment yesterday citing student confidentiality rules.

The Middlesex County District Attorney’s office was unable to provide further details of Carter and Connelly’s future court date.

A biology concentrator from Arlington, Texas, Carter plays the role of Violet Sarbloo in the current Hasty Pudding Show “Snow Place Like Home” and is a secretary on the Leverett House Committee.

Donnelly, a religion concentrator, is a member of the Harvard cross country team.

Teammate Matthew D. Seidel ’03 said he thought it would not be like Donnelly to intentionally start a fire.

“He’s a good guy,” Seidel said.

—Staff writer Jenifer L. Steinhardt can be reached at steinhar@fas.harvard.edu.