Pennsylvania Man Guilty in Arson of Home, Business

A western Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to setting fire to his home and an attached business, and now faces at least five years in federal prison.

Fifty-six-year-old William Russell, of Waterman, on Monday pleaded guilty to malicious destruction by fire and mail fraud before a federal judge in Pittsburgh, who must now sentence Russell on July 11.

Federal prosecutors say Russell set fire to his home on Route 259 in Brush Valley, Indiana County, on Aug. 29, 2009. The fire also damaged the Korner Market, a general store that was attached to Russell’s home. He then submitted a fraudulent claim to Erie Insurance Exchange.

The federal arson statute Russell violated carries a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence. He faces a maximum of 60 years in prison, but federal guidelines that track his criminal history are likely to suggest a lesser term.