Serial Arsonist Receives 240 Months in Federal Prison for Setting Wildfires and Firearm Possession
A federal judge sentenced serial arsonist Donald R. Mize Jr. to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to setting multiple wildfires in Washington state and illegally possessing a firearm. The term triggers mandatory supervised release and restitution obligations that will affect wildfire response resources and federal sentencing precedents for arson cases tied to firearms.
nbcnews.comSPOKANE, Wash. — Donald R. Mize Jr. received a 240-month federal prison sentence on May 12, 2026, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington for setting multiple wildfires and illegally possessing a firearm, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
Mize admitted to intentionally starting several fires that burned hundreds of acres across eastern Washington. The sentence covers convictions on arson charges and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Federal prosecutors presented evidence that Mize used incendiary devices to ignite the blazes, which required coordinated response from state and federal wildfire suppression teams.
The 240-month term represents the statutory maximum for the combined offenses under the applicable U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Prior to sentencing, Mize faced a potential life term on certain arson counts if convicted at trial. The new sentence takes effect immediately, with Mize ordered to serve the full term followed by three years of supervised release.
The court also mandated that Mize pay full restitution for firefighting costs, though the exact dollar amount was not specified in the release.
Downstream, the Bureau of Prisons must now designate a facility for Mize’s long-term incarceration, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office will calculate and enforce restitution payments drawn from any seized assets or future earnings. The ruling sets a concrete benchmark for prosecutors pursuing similar cases that combine environmental destruction with firearms violations, requiring the Justice Department to track compliance with the supervised-release conditions after 2036.
Federal land-management agencies gain a documented precedent when allocating suppression budgets for human-caused fires linked to prohibited persons.
This marks the latest federal prosecution of repeat wildfire arson in the Pacific Northwest. The Department of Justice has pursued enhanced penalties in such cases since the early 2000s under statutes that treat arson as both a violent and environmental crime. The plea resolved all charges filed in the Eastern District of Washington without trial.
The case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington in coordination with federal law enforcement partners.
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