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A Fort Dodge man charged with setting a fire in a house last winter has entered a plea agreement that will spare him from any time behind bars.
Josh D. Wilson was arrested in April and charged with setting a fire on Feb. 10 at 221 S. Fourth St., where he was living at the time. He was initially charged with second degree arson.
Court records show that he recently entered an Alford plea to lesser offenses of third degree arson and third degree criminal mischief.
Under Iowa law, when someone enters an Alford plea, they do not admit guilt, but acknowledge that the prosecutors likely have enough evidence to get them convicted. They are then sentenced as if they had pleaded guilty.
In court documents relating to his plea, Wilson indicated that he cannot remember his actions on Feb. 10.
Webster County District Court Judge Christopher C. Polking accepted Wilson's Alford pleas.
For each count, Polking sentenced Wilson to two years in prison and immediately suspended the sentences, meaning he won't have to serve the time unless he gets in trouble again.
Polking also imposed an $855 fine for each count, and suspended them.
He ordered Wilson to serve two years of probation, pay court costs and continue with mental health treatment.
In criminal complaints filed against Wilson, Fort Dodge police wrote that sometime between 3 p.m and 4:15 p.m. Feb. 10 he deliberately started a fire in the house. The fire was discovered when smoke was spotted coming from the house.
The fire was confined to a small area in a living room on the second floor of the house.