Wildfire arsonist sentenced

[Lee Borgersen]

       Cass Lake arsonist sentenced for wildfire

 Apr 23, 2015 .
 
CASS LAKE—A Cass Lake teen responsible for setting fires that burned more than 50 acres of wildland near Cass Lake in May has been convicted of arson and ordered to pay more than $160,000 in restitution.

  .........
Anthony Wittner, 18, was sentenced Tuesday in Cass County District Court to complete a 28-day program at the Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Center, according to a release from the Cass County Attorney's Office. Wittner was credited with 14 days served. He has been ordered to pay $123,197.68 in restitution to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for fire suppression costs and $37,906 to Potlatch Corp. for loss of timber.

Wittner pleaded guilty Feb. 10 to felony wildfire arson and misdemeanor fleeing a police officer on foot. Wittner started two fires the afternoon of May 28 near Cass Lake that burned out of control, destroying 50 acres of forestland and forcing the evacuation of 10 homes, the release said. The fire was reported about 1:30 p.m. in Pike Bay Township and was contained at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Wittner was 17-years-old at the time he committed the crime, officials said. Because he was a juvenile, Wittner was sentenced in accordance with the Extended Juvenile Jurisdiction law in which a qualifying individual receives an adult felony sentence and concurrent juvenile disposition, the release said. The adult sentence is suspended if conditions set by the court are met and the juvenile stays in the system until they turn 21. If Wittner violates conditions of probation, his juvenile sentence may be revoked and he would then be certified into adult court for further proceedings.