Man pleads guilty to serial arson in National Forest, faces 20 years in prison

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A Redding man pled guilty on Monday to being a serial arsonist in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, according to the justice department.

Eric Smith, 41, set at least 11 fires in the forest between June 2019 and July 2020, according to court documents.

Smith used cigarette lighters and torches to set the fires in remote areas of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

The Department of Justice said Smith admitted to setting many of the fires, saying Smith started them in the early morning so finding and fighting the fires was more difficult.

Smith started one fire near Interstate-5 and Turntable Bay Road, causing Interstate-5 to close.

A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 22 as Smith faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/crime/man-pleads-guilty-to-serial-arson-in-national-forest-faces-20-years-in-prison/article_258934c6-dae2-11ec-a880-87f4feb1a592.html