A Burlington man convicted of reckless use of fire in connection with an apartment fire in November was sentenced Monday to a year in the Des Moines County Jail.
Court records show 60 year old Cedric Windell Williams will get credit for time already served. The balance of the sentence will be suspended for two years as long as he completes inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment and stays away from using drugs or alcohol, according to court records. He also was ordered to pay $1,565 in restitution.
Williams was initially facing the more serious charge of first-degree arson but was found guilty of the lesser charge at a trial in February.
Fire crews responded to a two-unit apartment house around 9:00 a.m. Nov. 23rd. The fire was contained to a bedroom and crews were able to knock it down in about 15 minutes. Two people inside were able to escape it without injury. The fire spread to the attached apartment, displacing four residents.