Poetry Book Fire Destroys Home, Woman Sentenced
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TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) – A south-central Idaho woman who set fire to a book of poetry she made for her boyfriend but that spread and burned down his house has been sentenced to one to 10 years in prison.
The Times-News reports that Deborah Perez received the sentence Monday in 5th District Court but could avoid prison if she does well in a therapeutic community program run by the Idaho Department of Correction.
Prosecutors say Perez set fire to the poetry book in February while in a jealous, drunken rage, and then was too intoxicated to put the fire out when it started spreading.
The fire caused $57,000 in damage.
Judge Richard Bevan retained jurisdiction and will review Perez’s progress after several months in the therapeutic program that includes in-patient alcohol treatment.