A man who allegedly started a fire at the Bangor Walmart pleaded not guilty to a charge of arson Wednesday morning.
Lucas Landry, 44, of Smyrna, was arraigned on one count of arson Wednesday morning in U.S. District Court in Bangor. He entered a plea of not guilty. He previously waived a preliminary hearing in late January.
Landry allegedly started a fire on Nov. 3 in the store at 900 Stillwater Ave. The fire set off the sprinklers and caused around $10 million of damage, mostly to the store’s inventory.
He was originally charged with arson in Penobscot County Superior Court, but it was dismissed after the federal charges were filed.
The fire started in the men’s clothing section, where Landry was standing, according to the affidavit filed in Penobscot County Court. Bystanders used fire extinguishers to help contain the fire until the sprinklers kicked on.
Arson carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years. It also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000.
A jury trial is scheduled for April 2.
Landry is in the Penobscot jail on a probation violation. He will go into federal custody if he is released from jail.