Photo: CAL Fire
A man has pleaded guilty to starting theCranston fire, one of the deadly wildfires that spread across California in July 2018, burning homes to the ground and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate.
On Thursday, Brandon McGlover, 33, of Temecula was sentenced to 12 years and four months in state prison after he entered guilty pleas to two counts of burning of a structure or forest land, the Riverside County district attorney’s office said in astatement. He is ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
McGlover, whose motive remains unknown, also admitted to burning multiple structures involving the Cranston fire, according to prosecutors.
JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty
Camarata also requested the judge to allow his client to hug his parents before he was taken to prison in chains. However, the judge denied the request, citing security concerns, thePress-Enterprisereports.
Camarata did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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In July 2018, McGlover was arrested andcharged with five counts of arson to wildlandand starting nine separate fires, the largest being the Cranston fire, which destroyed more than 13,000 acres.
The wildfire forced evacuations of at least 7,000 people, including residents and campers at Mt. San Jacinto State Park, according to theLos Angeles Times.
At the time, the Cranston fire was just one of many wildfires devastating the state.
There were at least six others, including the Valley fire, Ferguson fire, Lions fire, Georges fire, Horse Creek fire and the Carr fire.
Months later, the Camp fire ravaged Northern California and the Woolsey fire burned down the Southern California homes ofseveral starssuch asMiley Cyrus,Gerard Butler,Neil Young, andRobin Thicke.
source: people.com
