Ex-firefighter gets home arrest for duplex fire

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A former Columbia firefighter who pleaded guilty to planning a duplex fire has been sentenced to a year of house arrest.

The State newspaper reports (http://bit.ly/1debjuW ) 40-year-old Pierre Daye can leave home only for church and doctor visits. His attorney said Daye’s advanced multiple sclerosis needs constant medical care.

Judge Robert Hood previously sentenced Daye’s accomplice to five years in prison. Salih Abdur-Rasheed testified Daye prodded him to set the fire so Daye could get insurance money.

Hood explained the different treatment, saying Abdur-Rasheed had multiple prior felony convictions and spent much of his life in and out of jail, while Daye’s life had been mostly good. He had no criminal record, was a firefighter, served in the Army National Guard, worked as a nurse and coached children.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com