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Orange County resident Nicholas Fontaine, age 23, of Monroe, pleaded guilty Wednesday, Oct. 27, to arson, in connection with the May house fire, said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.
According to the District Attorney's Office, Fontaine's former girlfriend and her family were in the house at the time the fire erupted, damaging the outside of the residence and destroying a car in the driveway of the residence.
On Thursday, Oct. 28, Emanuel Watson, age 24, of Monroe, admitted acting in concert with Fontaine in setting the fire.
Prosecutors argued that at about 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday, May 5, Fontaine and another suspect had repeatedly poured gasoline over a 2018 Hyundai Elantra automobile belonging to Fontaine’s former girlfriend which was parked next to her residence.
Ring camera recordings showed the car being set ablaze and the fire spreading to the siding of the residence, which became engulfed in flames.
Both men admitted they had reason to believe that the residence was occupied at the time the fire was started. No one was injured in the incident, the DA's Office said.
As part of the plea agreements, Hoovler said that Fontaine is expected to be sentenced to nine years in state prison and five years post-release supervision, when he is sentenced in December; and Watson will be sentenced to five years in prison and five years post-release supervision when he is sentenced.
Hoovler thanked the New York State Police for their investigation of the case and the fire companies who responded to the fire.
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