The courts will reschedule a hearing for the third boy charged with arson in connection with the fire that destroyed the rear tower of the Stenton Trust Mill in Sanford June 23.
The hearing had been scheduled for Thursday. That morning, the attorney for the boy, Edwin “Ned” Chester, said he planned to conference with prosecutor Tonya Pierson to determine if the parties could come to a plea arrangement. The outcome of the conference will result in a scheduling for either a hearing or a plea, Chester said at Biddeford District Court.
The trio of 12 and 13 year-old boys were all charged with felony arson. The case against two of the boys was resolved two weeks ago, when they agreed to a plea arrangement that saw them sentenced to one year probation in exchange for admitting to a charge of criminal mischief. A charge of felony arson was ordered continued until January by the court. If the two boys comply with their probation and continue to do well, attorneys for the boys said the charge may be be dismissed.
Attorneys Lisa Chmelecki and Cory McKenna, who represented the two boys who had appeared two week ago, said their clients showed remorse for what they had done.
“It was truly an accident, said McKenna following the Oct. 12 hearing.
The attorneys said the boys have followed conditions set by the court, including taking part in counseling requirements, reporting regularly to his juvenile corrections case manager, following rules at home and school.
Fire roared through the rear tower of the vacant five-story former textile mill on River Street, known locally as Stenton Trust Mill, erupting just before 7 p.m. on June 23.
It quickly spread throughout the rear tower of the building and raged on through the night. Firefighters from 26 communities fought the blaze.
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