Leonard Gregg, who told authorities he was trying to make work for himself, pleaded guilty Oct. 20 in federal court to two counts of intentionally setting a fire. Gregg, 31, made no plea agreement and was given the maximum prison sentence.
He was also ordered to pay $27 million in restitution.
The fire started June 18, 2002, by Gregg, a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, merged with another started by a woman who was lost in the woods and trying to attract the attention of a helicopter.
The fire burned 469,000 acres in eastern Arizona, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing 30,000 people to evacuate. It also burned sacred Apache sites and accelerated the expected demise of the White Mountain Apache Tribe's timber business.
Gregg was a part-time firefighter with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He had earlier sparked a fire near Cibecue, in hopes of being called to work, prosecutors said. When he was not called to fight that fire, which was quickly contained, Gregg started the second fire, prosecutors said.
He was arrested about 10 days later.
An interpreter translated the hearing into the Apache language for Gregg, who showed no emotion.
Defense attorney Deborah Euler-Ajayi cited Gregg's remorse and asked for leniency.
``He has cried through many of our meetings ... as well as a meeting we had with the tribal members,'' Euler-Ajayi said. ``His remorse is tremendous and is very, very deep.''
She also pointed out Gregg suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome and functions at a low level emotionally and intellectually.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Kirby contended Gregg understood his actions.
``When the first one failed, he set a second fire, realizing it needed to be of greater magnitude to require more firefighters,'' he said.
Federal prosecutors did not seek charges against the woman who set the other fire.
Margaret Baha-Walker, the only tribal member who attended the sentencing, said she believed it was important to forgive Gregg.
``It is through healing that we will prosper again as White Mountain Apaches,'' she said. ``It will never be restored but the people still walk and still have a future.''
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