A former Whiteland firefighter avoided a jail sentence in plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to setting three fires in 2020.
Jake Dougherty, 20, of Needham, was sentenced in Johnson County Superior Court Friday to 12 years in prison, with all the jail time suspended. He had served 248 days in jail while awaiting trial.
Dougherty does face work release and probation requirements as part of his sentence, in addition to a required payment of $150,000 in restitution to Ryan Homes, Westport Homes and JCREMC, the owners of the houses he torched. All three were under construction at the time.
Dougherty joined the Whiteland Fire Department in February 2020 and was fired in June after he was charged.
