There was no leniency for Zacharia Shaffer, 22, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 5 years of probation and restitution for the arson fire that destroyed the Green Mountain Falls Town Hall in February.
In a sentence hearing before Judge Robert Lowrey Nov. 19, Shaffer, who was charged with first-degree arson, acknowledged that he had started the fire in the wee hours of Feb. 23. His accomplice, Kyle Lawrence, was severely burned in an explosion inside the building.
“I was the genesis, the cause of the fire,” Shaffer said. “I know I made a poor decision and didn’t think about the consequences.”
Shaffer had been ticketed for running a stop sign in 2010 in town and was serving a deferred sentence while facing suspension of his driver’s license.
Prosecuting attorney Reggie Short argued for the maximum sentence. “This was not done in the heat of passion,” Short said. “He took the time and effort to obtain gasoline before he picked up his friend.”
Shaffer showed no signs of remorse for the crime, Short said. “At the time of his arrest, he asked who had turned him in, as only six people knew of the plan to destroy the hall,” Short said.
Short emphasized that two people could have been killed in the fire, the neighbors, Barbara Gafford and her granddaughter, Nicole Blough. “We are fortunate we are not doing this hearing in a different context,” Short said.
A true tragedy, said Shaffer’s defense attorney, Norman Thom, for Shaffer as well as his girlfriend and their unborn child. Thom emphasized that Shaffer confessed to the crime at the time of his arrest the evening of Feb. 24. Shaffer made a full statement while being treated for minor injuries incurred in the fire.
While the plea agreement called for prison time, Thom asked for leniency.
Several of Shaffer’s friends refuted the claim that he, Shaffer, was not remorseful. “We understand that he has a price to pay; it was a horrible mistake,” said Rick Vetter. “We are all here to support him.”
As a show of restitution, Shaffer offered an initial check of $2,500, in addition to doing community service and taking an anger-management class.
Addressing Shaffer’s anger, Lowrey said, There are people who have lost parents or had traffic tickets, but they don’t burn down buildings,” he said. “This is extreme and unusual behavior.”
Shaffer planned the crime, sought out the materials and tried to figure out a way to escape, Lowrey said. As for the restitution check, the crime destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars, he added.
“The people of Green Mountain Falls didn’t deserve this response on your part,” he said.
Before issuing the sentence, Lowrey noted Shaffer’s obvious education, reflected in a letter written to the court.
“The letter has strong grammar and is a sign of intelligence and thought process,” Lowrey said. “What happened?”
Shaffer was allowed to kiss his mother and girlfriend goodbye before beginning his sentence.