California man who set 11 fires in national forest sentenced to two and half years in prison

Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight
·2 min read
53

REDDING, Calif. – A northern California man was sentenced on Monday for setting 11 fires in the state's Shasta-Trinity National Forest in one year, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert.

Eric Michael Smith, 41, of Redding, California, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for serial arson, Talbert said. He was also ordered to pay $19,071 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service.

Smith set at least 11 fires on national forest land between June 2019 and July 2020, according to court documents, Talbert said. He used "virtually undetectable ignition sources" including cigarette lighters and handheld torches to start wildfires in remote areas, Talbert said in press release issued Monday afternoon.

Live updates: Police seek motive for Michigan State University shooting; 3 dead

Smith also admitted he abandoned at least 11 campfires on national forest land during the same period, Talbert reported.

"Many of the fires Smith admitted to setting began in the early morning hours of the day, making detection and firefighting by authorities potentially more challenging," Talbert said. "One of the fires set by Smith in July 2020 burned so close to Interstate 5 near Turntable Bay Road that first responders closed a portion of the highway to prevent the blaze from burning numerous vehicles and residences on the other side of the interstate."

Law enforcement arrested Smith late in July 2020, "following an extensive investigation" during which "agents installed a tracking device on his vehicle to monitor his movements" for days, Talbert said.

Smith pleaded guilty on May 23, 2022 to charges of being a serial arsonist, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. At the time, he faced a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Massive U.S. conservation effort: Advocates worry about who could be left out

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and entertainment stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: California man who set 11 fires in national forest sentenced