Serial arsonist sentenced to 10 years in prison for setting Brockton, Hanson, Hull fires
BROCKTON – A convicted serial arsonist has been sentenced to another 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to setting fires in Brockton, Hanson and Hull in 2017.
Mark Sargent, now 55, of Fall River, pleaded guilty in October to two counts of burning of a dwelling and one count of burning of personal property.
During his sentencing Tuesday in Plymouth Superior Court, Judge William Sullivan sentenced Sargent to serve 10 years to 10 years and one day in state prison.
The Plymouth County district attorney's office had recommended a 16-to-17-year sentence for Sargent, who was already in custody serving a 10-year sentence on a probation violation.
"The multiple arsons that were committed by this defendant were an outrageous course of conduct that endangered residents and firefighters, and destroyed property," District Attorney Timothy Cruz said Tuesday in a written statement. "I commend the hard work of investigators who came together across state agencies to identify Sargent as the arsonist, and first responders who risked themselves to extinguish these fires and keep the public safe."
Sargent, who was already out on probation on an arson conviction, was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017, for setting fire to the Bay State Shredding commercial building at 175 East Ashland St. in Brockton.
More:For local chiefs, a missed chance at justice in serial arson case
Through an investigation, police obtained surveillance video that showed Sargent splashing what appeared to be gasoline around the staircase and doorway of the building.
"As part of that fire investigation, through interviews and evidence, it was determined that Sargent set three additional fires in South Shore towns," the DA's office said in a statement on Sargent's sentencing.
Sargent was additionally charged with setting fire to a garage at 72 East Washington St. in Hanson on Sept. 24, 2017, and to a three-floor apartment building at 1210 Montello St. in Brockton on Oct. 4, 2017.
Prosecutors said Sargent set fire to the buildings, then checked media coverage the day after each arson to revel in his work.
"What the defendant does, when you look at his phone, when you look at the Brockton fires and Hanson fire he took responsibility for ... the next morning he wakes up, he's Googling or searching for his work, the buildings he set on fire," Assistant District Attorney Alexander Zane said during Sargent's Superior Court arraignment in February 2018.
The prosecutor said six months worth of web searches revealed about 80 percent are for fires and pornography.
Sargent was previously convicted in 2014 of setting three fires in West Bridgewater, Marshfield and Scituate. As part of a plea deal, he was sentenced to serve two to three years in prison, but only served two. At that time, investigators believed he could have been responsible for up to 30 fires.
In September 2018, Sargent was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in state prison for a probation violation for being arrested in connection with the 2017 fires while still on probation for the fires set in 2012 and 2013.
More:Arsonist linked to Brockton, Hanson blazes imprisoned for violating probation
And in February 2020, Sargent was sentenced to 6 to 9 years in prison for setting fire to 118 Forge Road in Westport on Aug. 23, 2017.
More:Serial Brockton-area arsonist sentenced to 6-9 more years in prison
Zane prosecuted Sargent's most recent Plymouth County cases, which were investigated by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Plymouth County district attorney’s office, the Brockton Fire Department, Brockton Police Department, the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Enterprise senior reporter Cody Shepard can be reached at cshepard@enterprisenews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton: Arsonist Mark Sargent sentenced to state prison for fires
