New York State Teen Arsonist Sentenced To Prison

An 18-year-old Cohoes High School graduate was sentenced Monday to up to 12 years in state prison for a New Year's Eve prank that caused $1.6 million in damage to his alma mater.

State Supreme Court Justice Joseph C. Teresi also told Steven Miller to make full restitution.

Miller, a member of the Class of 2003, and two friends were looking for mischief on Jan. 1 when they climbed onto the school's roof around 2 a.m. after a night of carousing, officials have said.

He admitted to Teresi on March 8, as he pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree arson, that he dropped through a skylight into a fenced-off area of the locker room where athletic equipment was stored.

After tossing football equipment up through the hole onto the roof, he said he climbed out and used a lighter to ignite a T-shirt, which he let fall back inside the room onto a pile of shirts and bags.

"He paid a high price for a night of drunken revelry," Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael McDermott said. "He took a lot from the community. So his sentence is appropriate, under the circumstances."

Co-defendants Shawn Tumsuden, 18, of 324 Vliet Blvd., and Timothy LaValley, 18, of 16 McDonald Drive, pleaded guilty on March 15 in Albany County Court.

Tumsuden, who dropped out of the school, came up with the idea to go to the high school that night and broke windows once they got there. But he didn't play a role in starting the fire. He pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary and will be sentenced May 10 to 2 to 6 years in prison.

He will also be required to pay $2,500.

LaValley, who is a senior, was mostly just along for the ride, prosecutors said.

He pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted burglary and will be sentenced to time served, also on May 10, and five years post-release supervision.