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Randy Sigler, 65, who was renting a home in Hagerstown, is facing up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for threatening arson during a dispute with his landlord and her husband.
Officials say that shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17, members of the Washington County Sheriff's Office responded to a home in the 13600 block of Grandview Drive to investigate a reported dispute between a tenant and landlord.
The landlord advised responding deputies that she and her husband were cleaning out the home's basement, when they told Sigler they had decided to sell.
"Sigler reportedly became irate, including saying that he was going to burn the house down," the fire marshal said. "The couple left the house and called 911 to report the incident."
The sheriff's office requested the fire marshal respond to the home, and a brief investigation determined that the threats were credible.
With an assist from Maryland State Police troopers, Sigler was arrested and charged with arson threat on Friday night. He was taken to the Washington County Detention Center and later released by a judge.
"Threatening, verbally or in writing, to set fire to a structure or explode a destructive device is considered a misdemeanor in Maryland," officials said. "It can carry penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine."
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