Longwood man sentenced to 12 years for setting condo ablaze

Man sentenced to 12 year for setting condo on fire

A man accused of setting his Longwood condominium complex ablaze out of anger at his homeowners’ association has been sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by 15 years’ probation.

LONGWOOD, Fla. - A Florida man was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 15 years of probation for setting his Longwood condo on fire in January 2023 after a foreclosure dispute with his homeowners’ association.

What we know:

Marc L. Hermann, 56, was sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by 15 years of probation after being found guilty of arson of an occupied structure.

Prosecutors said Hermann set fire to his condominium unit in Longwood, Florida, in January 2023, by dousing it with gasoline and igniting it. The fire destroyed three other families’ homes, forcing residents to flee amid exploding debris.

A paramedic reported that Hermann admitted setting the fire out of anger towards the homeowners’ association (HOA), which had foreclosed on his property.

What we don't know:

Details about Hermann’s mental health history, which could surface during his mandated evaluation, are also not yet publicly available.

The backstory:

Hermann owed roughly $28,800 in unpaid dues and fees to his HOA. In July 2022, the association legally foreclosed on his unit and sold it at auction, but Hermann refused to vacate the property. The arson appears to have been a retaliatory act against the HOA's actions to enforce property law.

Assistant State Attorneys Sha-Kiah Walker and Donovan Wagner presented the case, while fire investigators and first responders confirmed Hermann's admissions and evidence at the scene.

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