A Vincennes man charged with setting an arson fire to a local landmark will serve six-years in prison.
The Vincennes Sun Commercial reports that 24-year-old James Beamon was sentenced to six years in prison Wednesday in Knox Superior Court-One. He pleaded guilty to four counts of arson including the destruction of the historic Gimbel Bond building on Main Street.
Beamon was arrested in July of 2014 after setting fire to several businesses along Washington Avenue. The newspaper says that Beamon told state fire marshal investigators that he set fire to the Ggimbel Bond building in December 2011.
Beamon says he ignited the fire by striking matches and throwing them down inside the building.
Judge Gara Lee sentenced Beamon to 10years in prison on each count of arson. Those sentences will run concurrently. Beamon will serve six years in prison and another four on probation.