Claims initially reported about the Aaron Jones case on October 8, 2010, during his trial for three counts of mail fraud, and one count of using fire in the commission of a felony. Below you can read an update on the case, including the sentence for the criminal charges.
On Dec. 10, 2010, U.S. District Judge Brian S. Miller reluctantly sentenced Aaron Jones to 10 years in federal prison on for torching his west Little Rock home in 2008.
The sentence was the mandatory minimum sentence for one count of using fire in the commission of a felony, but the judge remained hesitant to give Jones that time.
"I have to give him 10 years," the judge said. "I think the mandatory minimum is required, but it's too much. I don't believe Mr. Jones is likely to go out and burn another house down."
Miller tempered that ruling by sentencing Jones to a more minimal time served on the three counts of mail fraud he was charged with, which could have added another 15 to17 years in prison to his sentence. Jones has been in custody since Oct. 4, less than a week after he was convicted in U.S. District Court jury of using fire to commit a felony and three counts of mail fraud.
The former attorney and real estate developer, found guilty of burning his own home down in an arson scheme, made his way to the podium in shackles and an orange jumpsuit. He declined to make any statement during the proceeding, and was ordered to pay $1.37 million in restitution to Standard Insurance Co. of Hartford, Conn. in addition to his decade-long prison sentence.
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