Prison for CT Landlord for Torching Building
Source The Advocate, Stamford, Conn. (TNS)
STAMFORD — A city landlord who was sentenced Tuesday to 14 years in prison for setting his apartment building on fire could spend less time in jail if he’s allowed to make restitution.
Anthony Manousos, 34, of Norwalk, was sentenced four months after a jury convicted him of first-degree arson for setting his Highland Avenue property on fire while a tenant was sleeping in one of the apartments on Dec. 3, 2014. The maximum sentence for the offense is 25 years in jail.
Judge Gary J. White sentenced Manousos to 14 years, but said he would consider a shorter prison term if Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Ferencek agreed to allow the defendant to make restitution. The probation office set that figure at $192,000 to cover the damages to the tenants as well as the city of Stamford, which spent $3,600 to fight the blaze.
Ferencek declined comment on how much money it would take to get his consent on a sentence modification motion.
“The time to pay restitution was after the crime was committed,” he said. “Not a year and one half later, after sentencing.”
Brenda Ortiz, the lone tenant who was in the building at the time of the fire, made a tearful statement at the sentencing, saying Manousos’ actions turned her world upside down.
Ortiz said her family lost everything they owned in the first-floor apartment and had to spend two months in a hotel.
Ortiz said she and her children developed emotional issues because of the fire. She said she drained her entire retirement savings, she still has trouble sleeping and her older son has considered suicide since the fire.
“I don’t think anyone deserves this,” she said. “It was a terrible day and I keep having nightmares about that day.”
Manousos, dressed in a white T-shirt and khaki pants with shackles around his ankles, glanced without emotion between Ortiz and the judge.
Ferencek said Manousos knew his converted residential home was occupied that day because Ortiz called out to him — although at the time she did not realize it was her landlord on the second floor — warning she smelled a strong odor of gasoline before the stairway exploded into flames.
Ferencek said Manousos should have also suspected a second-floor renter was in the building, because her car was parked in the driveway although she was not home.
Ferencek told the judge Manousos should be sentenced to between 15 and 18 years in jail because he was guilty of a “completely thoughtless act that put many lives in jeopardy.”
Ferencek said Manousos has never shown remorse for the fire and considered himself to be a victim when he testified during the trial.
Manousos’ attorney, Stephan Seeger, reminded White there were 30 letters of support for his client that he presented for the sentencing.
Seeger said Manousos began working when he was 15 years old and had no criminal record before his arrest moments after the fire.
Seeger argued for his client to be sentenced to no more than 11 years in prison.
Manousos apologized for what he did and said it was a mistake that “destroyed my family and took everything away from me.”
“I never intended to bring harm to anyone or destroy anyone’s home,” he said.
Ferencek responded by questioning what Manousos expected to happen when he poured gasoline on the stairwell of a more than 100-year-old wooden home and set it ablaze.
Ferencek called the defendant’s actions “atrocious,” saying he could have killed himself or someone else. He said Manousos’ testimony, when he explained he had a pump sprayer filled with gasoline to kill rodents and a five gallon container of gas to power a non-existent pressure washer on that rainy day in December 2014, was a “ridiculous story.”
———
©2016 The Advocate (Stamford, Conn.)
Visit The Advocate (Stamford, Conn.) at www.stamfordadvocate.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
AD-Stamford-landlord-gets-14-years-for-setting-apartment-building-on-fire-0615
Stamford landlord gets 14 years for setting apartment building on fire
John Nickerson
STAMFORD — A city landlord who was sentenced Tuesday to 14 years in prison for setting his apartment building on fire could spend less time in jail if he’s allowed to make restitution.
Anthony Manousos, 34, of Norwalk, was sentenced four months after a jury convicted him of first-degree arson for setting his Highland Avenue property on fire while a tenant was sleeping in one of the apartments on Dec. 3, 2014. The maximum sentence for the offense is 25 years in jail.
Judge Gary J. White sentenced Manousos to 14 years, but said he would consider a shorter prison term if Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Ferencek agreed to allow the defendant to make restitution. The probation office set that figure at $192,000 to cover the damages to the tenants as well as the city of Stamford, which spent $3,600 to fight the blaze.
Ferencek declined comment on how much money it would take to get his consent on a sentence modification motion.
“The time to pay restitution was after the crime was committed,” he said. “Not a year and one half later, after sentencing.”
Brenda Ortiz, the lone tenant who was in the building at the time of the fire, made a tearful statement at the sentencing, saying Manousos’ actions turned her world upside down.
Ortiz said her family lost everything they owned in the first-floor apartment and had to spend two months in a hotel.
Ortiz said she and her children developed emotional issues because of the fire. She said she drained her entire retirement savings, she still has trouble sleeping and her older son has considered suicide since the fire.
“I don’t think anyone deserves this,” she said. “It was a terrible day and I keep having nightmares about that day.”
Manousos, dressed in a white T-shirt and khaki pants with shackles around his ankles, glanced without emotion between Ortiz and the judge.
Ferencek said Manousos knew his converted residential home was occupied that day because Ortiz called out to him — although at the time she did not realize it was her landlord on the second floor — warning she smelled a strong odor of gasoline before the stairway exploded into flames.
Ferencek said Manousos should have also suspected a second-floor renter was in the building, because her car was parked in the driveway although she was not home.
Ferencek told the judge Manousos should be sentenced to between 15 and 18 years in jail because he was guilty of a “completely thoughtless act that put many lives in jeopardy.”
Ferencek said Manousos has never shown remorse for the fire and considered himself to be a victim when he testified during the trial.
Manousos’ attorney, Stephan Seeger, reminded White there were 30 letters of support for his client that he presented for the sentencing.
Seeger said Manousos began working when he was 15 years old and had no criminal record before his arrest moments after the fire.
Seeger argued for his client to be sentenced to no more than 11 years in prison.
Manousos apologized for what he did and said it was a mistake that “destroyed my family and took everything away from me.”
“I never intended to bring harm to anyone or destroy anyone’s home,” he said.
Ferencek responded by questioning what Manousos expected to happen when he poured gasoline on the stairwell of a more than 100-year-old wooden home and set it ablaze.
Ferencek called the defendant’s actions “atrocious,” saying he could have killed himself or someone else. He said Manousos’ testimony, when he explained he had a pump sprayer filled with gasoline to kill rodents and a five gallon container of gas to power a non-existent pressure washer on that rainy day in December 2014, was a “ridiculous story.”
———
©2016 The Advocate (Stamford, Conn.)
Visit The Advocate (Stamford, Conn.) at www.stamfordadvocate.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
