Chatham County Woman Sentenced to Seven Years for Setting Fire to Occupied Rooming House

SAVANNAH, Ga. — A Chatham County woman was sentenced to seven years in federal prison on May 7 for setting fire to an occupied rooming house, an act that injured four residents, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The defendant admitted to the arson that directly affected four people who suffered injuries in the fire at the rooming house. The sentence includes a term of supervised release that follows the prison term, along with mandatory restitution to cover costs tied to the injuries and property damage.

The sentencing marks the conclusion of a criminal case that began with the fire at the multi-occupant residence. Prior to sentencing the defendant faced potential penalties under federal arson statutes that carry a statutory maximum of 20 years. The seven-year term now replaces that exposure and activates immediate Bureau of Prisons custody.

Downstream, the conviction requires the defendant to begin serving the sentence without delay. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia will next calculate and enforce restitution payments to the victims. Federal probation officers must also establish a supervised-release plan that starts after the prison term ends.

The four injured residents gain finalized civil claim pathways tied to the criminal judgment.

This case is one of multiple recent DOJ prosecutions in the Southern District of Georgia involving arson at occupied dwellings. The department’s May 7 release states the defendant admitted to the conduct that produced the injuries, consistent with standard plea-and-sentencing procedure in federal district court.