A man accused of setting the fifth of five fires along railroad tracks on Bath Road in Brunswick will serve four months in jail and three years probation as the result of a plea agreement.
David J. Burch, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of Class A arson on Dec. 20, as well as to one count of reckless conduct, said Tamara Getchell, spokeswoman for the Cumberland County District Attorney’s office.
For the first count, Justice Paul Fritzsche sentenced Burch to six years with all but four months suspended, three years probation and restitution. The sentence on the second count was concurrent, Getchell said.
Under terms of the plea agreement, the remaining charges were dismissed.
Burch was arrested the afternoon of Aug. 27, 2018, behind Autometrics at 121 Bath Road, after police responding to previously set fires said they saw him setting another, Brunswick Police Cmdr. Thomas Garrepy said at the time.
Within two hours that afternoon, police and firefighters were called to five fires, first at Walmart and then moving down Bath Road to the area behind Merrymeeting Plaza and then Autometrics.
A pallet fire behind Petsmart in Merrymeeting Plaza burned equipment on a loading dock, Brunswick Fire Chief Ken Brillant said at the time.
Burch was charged with five counts of Class A arson as well as aggravated criminal mischief, aggravated reckless conduct, refusing to submit to arrest or detention and failure to control or report a dangerous fire.
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