June 25--WILKES-BARRE -- Standing next to a pair of 95-year-old women, prosecutor Shannon Crake pleaded with Luzerne County Judge David Lupas to issue the maximum prison sentence to the arsonist who nearly killed them.
Minutes later, Lupas did just that.
Lupas on Monday ordered Gail Schneider, of Berwick, to spend 14 to 28 years in state prison for setting a fire that ravaged the Lantern Lane property at 314-316 Main St., Conyngham, which contained four businesses and four apartments.
The fire forced Nellie Stratts and Barbara Reese, both 92 at the time, from their apartments in the middle of the night. Firefighters rescued them from smoke and flames.
"What happened to us was cruel," Stratts said leaving court, noting she still has nightmares about fleeing the blaze. "I'm glad it's done."
Stratts and Reese, still able to live alone and independently at the time of the fire, were forced to move into a nursing home after the fire.
Crake, a Luzerne County assistant district attorney, urged Lupas to "show compassion for the victims," telling the judge Schneider "deserves no mercy."
"This is going to leave scars on the victims forever," Crake said. "The fair sentence for these crimes is the maximum sentence."
Lupas told Schneider that he was giving her the maximum sentence because multiple people could have been killed and she clearly "was aware of the grave risk of harm."
A jury convicted Schneider in April on five counts of arson and one count each of reckless burning and criminal mischief. During her trial, Schneider took the stand and denied lighting the fire. On Monday, she pleaded for leniency, but didn't explicitly admit to the crime.
"I cannot even imagine what you were all thinking that evening. This horrific fire has changed the lives of many people," Schneider said. "I ask the court to show mercy on my sentence. I am extremely sympathetic that so much damage was caused and wish none of this ever happened."
After Lupas read her sentence, Schneider didn't say anything. She cried. The crying spell appeared to continue as sheriff's deputies led a shackled Schneider from the courthouse to the county prison. Soon, she'll be sent off to state prison.
Schneider set the September 2010 blaze as revenge, prosecutors argued. She was angered she was evicted from the property for scratching "Die" on another neighbor's door in December 2009, they said. Mad that the building owner kept her $790 security deposit, she once assured him "this ain't over." After a night of drinking, Schneider showed up at the property just after 1:30 a.m. Sept. 5 and lit a fire on the second-floor landing of an enclosed stairwell, police said.
The fire caused $1.3 million in losses to the property, owned by Kenneth Temborski, and the belongings of the tenants.
Rich Bognar, fire chief of the Valley Regional Fire Department, said the blaze was among the most fierce of his career and firefighters from around the region risked their lives to save the victims and battle the flames.
"It was an act of God we all got home that night," Bognar said.
Trooper James Surmick told Lupas that Schneider was a danger to society and should go to jail for a long time.
"This is a time for justice. I can't think of a more vindictive, spiteful act," Surmick said. "She knew these people lived there."
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Copyright 2013 - The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
