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Arsonist draws 10-year sentence for 15 fires, one assault charge
An aggravated-arson count was dropped in a plea deal.
YOUNGSTOWN — A serial arsonist has been sentenced to six years in prison for 15 vacant-house fires he set on the city’s North Side in 2005 and 2006, plus four consecutive years for a separate felonious-assault charge, for a total of 10 years in prison.
Jason R. Hagens, 25, of Baldwin Street, drew the sentence Wednesday from Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who also ordered him to pay $2,396 in restitution to the city fire department.
Hagens’ earliest eligibility for judicial release comes after he serves five years.
“There were multiple fires, up to three at one time, severely straining the efforts of the Youngstown Fire Department” and its resources and endangering firefighters, police and city residents, said city fire Lt. Kevin Johnson.
Hagens repeatedly pointed the finger at others and misled arson investigators during the probe of 57 North Side fires in 16 months, Johnson said. The fire department opposes judicial release, Johnson told the judge.
Asking that any prison term for the arsons be less than four years and concurrent with the assault sentence, defense lawyer Walter Ritchie said Hagens has remorse and has a drinking problem, but he had no prior criminal record.
“Bad decisions led to horrible mistakes,” Hagens said. “When I do drink, I’m a totally different person,” he added.
“Alcohol does terrible things to people,” the judge agreed. He added, however, “Alcohol is not a defense. There’s nothing that can change the consequences of your actions when you were drunk.”
According to the March 1, 2007, arson indictment from the county grand jury, the dates and places of the fires Hagens set were: June 14, 2005, at 35 Tacoma Ave.; July 3, 2005, at 19 Baldwin St.; July 14, 2005, at 72 1‚Ñ2 Benita Ave.; July 19, 2005, at 787 Wick Ave. and 54 Sycamore St.; July 30, 2005, at 72 Benita Ave.; Sept. 10, 2005, at 66 Benita Ave.; Nov. 28, 2005, at 59 Saranac Ave.; Dec. 13, 2005, at 117 Benita Ave.; Dec. 22, 2005, at 65 Indiana Ave.; Dec. 25, 2005, at 43 McGuffey Road; Dec. 28, 2005, at 108 Thornton Ave.; Jan. 8, 2006, at 1322 Florencedale Ave.; Jan. 10, 2006, at 1422 Bryson St.; and April 2, 2006, at 24 McGuffey Road.
Hagens had pleaded guilty in October to all 15 counts of arson pertaining to the fires.
He also pleaded guilty to a single count of felonious assault stemming from a Logan Avenue bar fight, in which a 54-year-old man’s jaw was broken when he was beaten with fists and pool sticks Oct. 26, 2007, while Hagens was free on bond in the fire case.
Meghan L. Brundege, assistant county prosecutor, said she recommended four years for the assault because Hagens’ attack on that man was unprovoked.
In the plea deal in the arson cases, the prosecution dropped one count of aggravated arson that alleged Hagens caused a substantial risk of physical harm to city firefighters July 19, 2005.
He failed a polygraph examination concerning the fires and was implicated in the arson case by a co-defendant, Jake Perrotta. 26, of Cooper Street.
In June 2007, Judge Maureen A. Sweeney sentenced Perrotta to four years in prison on six counts of arson to which he had pleaded guilty, but she released him in February 2008 on three years’ probation, with the requirements that he obtain his General Educational Development diploma, perform 100 hours of community service and make $2,936 in restitution to a victim.
Hagens will get credit for the 461 days he has been jailed.
milliken@vindy.com