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Arsonist gets prison sentence for setting North Side fires
YOUNGSTOWN — A serial arsonist has been sentenced to six years in prison for a total of 15 vacant house fires he set on the city’s North Side in 2005 and 2006, plus four consecutive years for a separate felonious assault charge, for a total of 10 years in prison.
Jason R. Hagens, 25, of Baldwin Street, drew the sentence today from Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who also ordered him to pay $2,396 in restitution to the city fire department.
Hagens’ earliest eligibility for judicial release comes after he serves five years.
“There were multiple fires, up to three at one time, severely straining the efforts of the Youngstown Fire Department,” and its resources and endangering firefighters, police and city residents, said city fire Lt. Kevin Johnson.
For the complete story, see Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com
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Comments
The punishment should fit the crime. How about during his 10 year penalty phase we release him long enough to go with the local fire department on calls in below freezing temperatures, douse him with a fire hose until he is covered in ice, then send him into the burning building with nothing but his attitude to protect his sorry ***.
I am proud to say my father was a Youngstown firefighter for 28 years. He, as well as the rest of the brave and heroic firemen in those days and those we have today, risked his life time after time because an arsonist got a cheap thrill burning buildings. He saved quite a few lives, lost a few also. But I know that the sentences should be much harsher for these criminals.
God bless the Y-town Fire Department and thank you from a YFD firefighter's daughter.
The key word here was "vacant" houses. Not that arson isn't a crime which should carry a punishment but hell drag a body down the street after stopping for a bite at McD's and you can get a slap on the wrist!
"Not that arson isn't a crime..." Are you kidding me? Regardless if its vacant or not, in most situations (assuming its not fully involved on arrival) a firefighter is going into that building to check for vagrants. The risk of a firefighter being injured or killed in a vacant building, with rotting floors and ceilings, stripped interiors, and unmaintained supports, is extremely high. Just las t month a Detroit firefighter was killed when the ceiling of a vacant building came down and crushed him. Fighting fire in these buildings isn't for the weak.
I agree with all of your comments, but how about some facts on this case. This is a 25 year old young man with no criminal record. He was corrosed into giving a statment to the police in the first place by being threatened to have his mother put in jail and bringing up issues on his father who accidently killed himself. He is a young man with no money so had to rely on a free lawyer who DID NOT DO HIS JOB. He has been sitting in jail since last December after getting into a bar fight with a black man in Youngstown, which all of the sudden turned into a racial incident because this young man is white the the drunken man he was fighting with was black. The other people involved in the fight were also given a slap on the writs and this young man is given a 4 year sentence for a bar fight. Also I would like to see the evident the prosecutor had on the fires. There was none. She made this kid sit in jail for 452 days until he couldn't stand it anymore and then offered him 4 years in jail for a plea to something he did not do. So tell me how does 4 years end up being 10 years. And you are right, I know of at least one person who was caught red handed dealing crack cocain with a gun possession and got a couply of year probation. And this person has a long history of criminal activity. Also, how does a guy who knows he has a dead man under his car and still drives off get a slap on the wrist. Could it be because he is from CANFIELD and has some money to pay off someone??????? This young man did not deserve 10 year in prison for the crimes that were committed. They had the nerve to call him a menace to society. ON HIS FIRST OFFENSE. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get you head out of you butts Youngstown, crack down on the real crime and get the drugs and guns off of your streets.
why put him in prison? i'd hire him to burn down more empty houses.
"15 vacant house fires"
You are right! The crime does not fit the punishment. He should have gotten at least one year per house. So what if he was a white dude? He did the crime so he shouldn't whine about the time. I hope that he comes out not only older but returns to society much wiser.
BTW if he wasn't looking for trouble then he should have stayed out of the bar!
So tell me STAN how does a dog killer, a guy who drags another guy under his car and a murder get less time than a this kid. He has been in jail on a 75,000 bond since the bar fight which by the way the other guy instigated. The guy who drug another guy under his car is out on 10,000 bond. Jason also denies starting the fires, however he did plead guilty because he had a crappy lawyer and thought he was going to get out of jail since he had been sitting in there since October. You can kill a guy in Youngstown and run the streets but get into a fight with a black man and sit in jail for 14 months. HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THAT STAN!!!!
Just so it's clear...Andrew was alive the whole time he was dragged under Bryce Davis Burke's car. I really wanted to have faith in our judicial system....but from what I'm seeing so far...."it's all in who you know". And just because you're in a bar does not mean you were looking for trouble.
Exactly right Clyde. Jason was in the bar with some of his friends with the other guy came in looking for a fight. After the first fight, the other guy came back into the bar and hit one of Jason's friends with a pool stick. He was never hit with the pool stick he did the hitting. I don't see him up on charges. Just the young white male. The city of Youngstown and it leaders are all a joke.
The solution here is a very simple one. Stay out of trouble. Stay out of bars. Stay off the booze and drugs. Then life will be a total pleasure. Prisons are full of people who will tell you that they were misunderstood by society.
Jason is not misunderstood by society, just railroaded by the city of Youngstown and it lousy politics.
didnt poor jason admit to the fires, damn what do u have to do to convinceu people he is guilty? it wasnt his 1st offense, it was the 1st time caught.how do u all know the other guy was looking for a fight
Yes Jason did admit to starting the fires after sitting in jail for the last 11 months. He was tired of sitting in jail. I can tell you the other guy was looking for a fight. He was drunk just like Jason. The guy that drug the young man around under his car until he died was put in jail on a $10,000 bond and was bailed out. Jason was put on a $75,000 bond for a bar fight. That's justice in Youngstown.
Well if you do the math 15 houses-10 years and 2400 dollars.
It sure don't add up to much.
Demolition of 15 houses would cost 45,000 and up most likely.
To bad we can not pay the fire department 150 dollars a house for a controlled burning.
It is just by chance and thank God no one died, vacant or not. Safety of neighbors and firemen I think he should have received at least a year or more a house. Just sounds fishy.
Body dragging is another topic!
Considering he says he didn't start the houses on fire, and pled to 4 years for everything just to get out of jail, I think 10 years is way too much. And Body dragging is not another topic, $75,000 for a bar fight and $10,000 for dragging a guy to death, 11 years for murder and 10 years for a bar fight and arson. That's what sounds fishy
This guy deffinately deserves to be in jail. He's a psycho. He'll sit next to you and ask if you want anyone to be murdered. Thank god he's off the streets and locked up where he needs to be!