In April of last year, 38-year-old David Sosa told police he did not set his own family home on fire. And when the case went to trial last week, he maintained his innocence. But on Friday, midway through the trial, he changed his story completely and pleaded guilty to the charge. He told the court he was sorry for what he did and explained that he was drunk when he did it.
Sosa set a curtain on fire, which spread to some wooden louvers, but it was quickly put out by his brothers. So the Mopan Street house didn't burn but the crime is arson nonetheless.
In issuing a sentence, Justice Troadio Gonzalez noted that he had 14 prior unrelated convictions, but said that he did seem genuinely remorseful when making his guilty plea. With that, Gonzalez sentenced him to 5 years in prison.
And though his family members had testified against him, when he left the courtroom, they hugged him as he was put on the transport to the Hattieville Prison.
