GREENBELT, Md. --
A Greenbelt man pleaded guilty Friday to nine counts of arson for fires at an apartment complex, according to Maryland's U.S. attorney.
According to 26-year-old Jeremiah Jones' plea agreement, from March 25, 2007, to Aug. 2, 2007, Jones intentionally set nine fires at the Springhill Lake complex in Greenbelt, causing more than $2 million in damages. He set fire to items such as clothing in concealed spaces so that the fire would spread.
"Jeremiah Christopher Jones used fire as a weapon to terrorize a community, endanger the lives of residents and firefighters, and cause millions of dollars in property damage," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein in a statement released on Thursday. "I am grateful to the local, state and federal agencies that committed the time and resources that were required to catch Jeremiah Christopher Jones and protect the community."
Jones also confessed that he set fire to at lease three vehicles, a motorcycle, three trash bins and bushes during the past three years, according to court documents.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8, 2008. He faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 on each count.
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