Minn. woman gets 4-year prison sentence for arson
A South St. Paul woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for starting an apartment fire last May.
Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom says 64-year-old Susan Mercurio also was fined $80 and ordered to pay restitution.
Mercurio pleaded guilty in July. She told police she was unhappy about living in the apartment building for several reasons, including noise problems, and was facing eviction.
The county attorney says Mercurio bought two gallons of gasoline the day before the fire. After another resident called 911 saying he smelled gasoline, firefighters arrived to find an upper-unit apartment on fire.
Police found Mercurio on a hallway staircase; her hair was singed and she had soot on her arms.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the upper apartment unit.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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