Sanford man pleads guilty to arson at his own apartment house

PORTLAND, Maine - A Sanford man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to arson, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced.

According to court records, on May 5, 2021, the Sanford Fire Department responded to a fire at a multi-unit rental property located at 38 Spruce St where firefighters were able to savd the structure from collapse.

The most significant damage occurred to an apartment occupied at that time by Thomas McGinn, 49, who confessed to intentionally starting the fire using gasoline and lighter fluid as accelerants. He explained that it was his intention to "burn the building down."

McGinn faces a period of imprisonment of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to a $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in conjunction with the Sanford Police Department and the Maine State Fire Marshal's Office, investigated the case.