Seven months after setting fire to Briner Oil in Jonesville, convicted arsonist Douglas Michael Jones, 50, was sentenced to nine months in prison and three months probation Monday.
Jones, a former employee of the oil and fuel distribution company, set fire to the building in Sep. 2020. Local police confronted Jones soon after identifying him on video footage, as reported by the Hillsdale Daily News. He told authorities he was angry at the company’s Operations Manager when he set the blaze.
On Feb. 22, Jones pleaded no contest to the third-degree arson charge. In exchange for his plea, the Hillsdale prosecutors dropped one count of breaking and entering a building with the intent to commit larceny.
Jones has no other prior criminal past and cooperated with police, the Daily News reports. “For a first offense, this is an extremely serious situation,” Judge Sara Lisznyai said.
The disgruntled former employee attempted to erase the surveillance footage when he stole a computer system from the offices, thinking the footage was housed in it. The security tapes, however, were stored in a separate DVR system, which police quickly found, the Daily News reported. A police officer watching the tapes knew Jones and was able to identify him.
The footage shows Jones breaking in and stealing the computers, then opening a supply closet and pouring gasoline inside. He attempted to wipe away his shoe prints, the Daily News reports, and then lit the gasoline.
