Two men who committed arson got burned by lengthy prison sentences.
In February 2008, Jerome County Sheriff's Department found a burning vehicle. The vehicle's owner, Spencer Jay Maschek, denied knowing that his Honda was missing and subsequently filed a claim with his insurance company. Farm Bureau Insurance contacted the Department of Insurance about the suspicious nature of the claim.
Aided by Idaho's Department of Insurance Investigator Jan Heinz, police gathered information and assisted Farm Bureau Insurance in the investigation. Together they discovered that Maschek had asked Patrick Anthony Morrissey to set the vehicle on fire.
"Arson and insurance fraud are becoming more prevalent with the current decline in the economy," said Department of Insurance Director Bill Deal. "These crimes will not be tolerated and can result in significant jail time for the individuals involved."
Deal wasn't kidding. Maschek pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree arson, a felony. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, four of them fixed. His buddy Morrissey was found guilty of two felony charges: conspiracy to commit arson in the first degree and arson in the first degree. He was sentenced to two 15-year prison terms and ordered to pay restitution. He will spend at least 10 years in prison since five years of each term is fixed.
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