Former firefighter to serve three years in warehouse arson

CARIBOU, Maine — An Easton man who lost his job as a Presque Isle firefighter after he was charged with arson in 2009 will spend the next three years in prison for the crime.

Timothy MacFarline, 25, was sentenced on Thursday in Aroostook County Superior Court in Caribou. Superior Court Justice E. Allen Hunter imposed a punishment of ten years in prison with all but three years suspended, followed by probation for four years.

MacFarline is to have no contact with the owners of Northeast Packaging Co. in Presque Isle, which he set ablaze on Nov. 13, 2009. Hunter also ordered the former firefighter to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the owners, Aroostook County District Attorney Todd Collins said Friday.

MacFarline was represented in court by attorney James Dunleavy.

The arson charge was filed just two days after the fire flattened Northeast Packaging Co.’s Presque Isle warehouse. Not only was MacFarline a member of the Presque Isle Fire Department’s 33-person call staff at the time, he also worked at the warehouse.

An Aroostook County grand jury indicted him in January 2010 and he pleaded guilty in October 2010.

MacFarline was arrested after a joint investigation by members of the Presque Isle Fire Department, Presque Isle Police Department, Maine State Police and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Collins said Friday that if MacFarline does not make reasonable and regular restitution payments once he gets out of prison, he could be found in violation of his probation. That could lead a judge to impose more jail time.

MacFarline is still facing additional charges in connection with the theft of between $90,000 and $95,000 from a Caribou residence. MacFarline and his 25-year-old wife, Crystal MacFarline, also of Easton, were both indicted in July in connection with the theft.

Caribou police Officer Craig Peterson said Timothy MacFarline had access to the residence where police say between $90,000 and $95,000 was stolen over several months in 2010 and earlier this year.

Timothy MacFarline has been charged with theft by unauthorized taking, a Class B felony; theft by receiving stolen property, also a Class B felony; and violation of conditional release. Class B crimes are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Crystal MacFarline has been charged with theft, a Class B felony, and is free on bail.

Both have entered not guilty pleas on those charges.