Toledo, Ohio: Michael Sykes gets at least 4 years in prison

MONROE COUNTY, MICH. -- A judge in Monroe County sentenced Michael W. Sykes to 4 to 10 years behind bars after being convicted of arson and malicious destruction of property. Skyes, 17, of 7427 Canterbury Dr. in Lambertville, will also have to pay restitution to his victims. The court estimates the amount to be between $200,000 and $400,000. Michael Sykes gets at least 4 years in prison

from nbc24.com:

MONROE COUNTY, MICH. -- A judge in Monroe County sentenced Michael W. Sykes to 4 to 10 years behind bars after being convicted of arson and malicious destruction of property.

Skyes, 17, of 7427 Canterbury Dr. in Lambertville, will also have to pay restitution to his victims. The court estimates the amount to be between $200,000 and $400,000.

In March of 2008, the former Bedford High School student torched two homes under construction in Bedford Township. The first blaze was set in the Crystal Waters Villas subdivision off Douglas Road on March 12. Two days later he set ablaze a home on Brentridge Lane. According to Sykes, he also struck a utility pole along Sterns Road with an ax to make a statement against urban sprawl.

Sykes was arrested March 16 after attempting to siphon gas from the unmarked vehicle of a sheriff's detective who was on surveillance to catch the then-unknown arsonist. He later confessed to authorities that he was responsible for the fires.

Sykes told detectives that he was an environmentalist who was concerned with development and construction of new homes in the area.

from toledoblade.com:

MONROE — A Lambertville teenager responsible for arson fires to unfinished homes in Bedford Township subdivisions was given a 4 to 10-year prison sentence Thursday in Monroe County Circuit Court.

Michael W. Sykes, 17, was sentenced by Judge Joseph Costello, Jr., for fires he started two days apart in March that destroyed homes under construction in the township and for trying to chop down a utility pole along Sterns Road.

The former Bedford High School student pleaded no contest on July 11 to two counts of arson of real property and one count each of malicious destruction of property and malicious destruction of police property.

At the time of his arrest in March, Sykes told authorities he was an environmentalist and was concerned with development and construction of new homes in the area.