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2 plead guilty in Firestone Mansion arson; judge wants explanation
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
When accepting guilty pleas from two people for burning down the historic Firestone Mansion last fall, Judge Lou D’Apolito said Wednesday that he wants to know the why before they know the how.
Translation: He wants to know why they did it before he decides how they will be sentenced.
Brian McKinney, 20, of Lakeshore Drive and Alexis Little, 20, of Sunnybrook Drive, each entered guilty pleas before Judge D’Apolito in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to charges of arson, a fourth-degree felony, and vandalism, a fifth- degree felony.
Prosecutors are recommending five years’ probation with six months of that to be served in the county jail, but Judge D’Apolito said he is not sure if that is an appropriate sentence, because of the blaze that destroyed the historic mansion in North Lima. It was built in 1880 and sat adjacent to Pine Lake. It was being renovated at the time of the fire.
“This case is a lot of frustration as a judge,” Judge D’Apolito said. “They not only burned down a house; they burned down a dream. What kind of value do you put on that?”
Judge D’Apolito said he wants a pre-sentence investigation done before sentencing, during which the pair is interviewed, to see if they explain why they set the fire, before deciding on what kind of sentence is appropriate. He said because of the low degree of the felonies, the two do not meet guidelines for a state prison sentence.
Judge D’Apolito said he wants to examine all sentencing options before the two are sentenced, and the presentence investigation can help him decide on what those should be.
He said he also is concerned about restitution that can total as much as $150,000, because he is not sure how the two will be able to pay that amount.
The mansion had been a two-story, 2,720-square-foot house with eight bedrooms. It was built at its original site adjacent to the Firestone tire-testing facility in 1880 by the Lower family, relatives of Harvey Firestone. The house also was known as the Lower Homestead.
A couple had bought the home in 2011 and was renovating it to sell it at the time of the Oct. 21 fire.
Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Harris said investigators at the state fire marshal’s office were able to track McKinney and Little because they had them on video buying the gas used to start the fire.
The two also are accused of spray painting part of the Old Mill in Mill Creek Park a few days after the fire, which is why they were charged with vandalism. Prosecutors are recommending they pay restitution of just more than $1,000 to the park in that case.
Neither Little nor McKinney spoke in court. Court records show they have no prior criminal charges before they were indicted for the fire and vandalism.