Former Criminology Professor Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Arson Spree
A former criminology professor with a specialization in social deviancy has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after admitting to setting four fires in California in 2021. Gary Stephen Maynard, 49, of San Jose, Calif., was sentenced by Judge Daniel J. Calabretta of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of arson on federal property in February.
Prosecutors revealed that Mr. Maynard confessed to setting a series of fires in July and August 2021, including one behind firefighters battling the massive Dixie fire, which burned over 960,000 acres and was one of California’s largest wildfires. Upon his release from prison, he will be on supervised release for three years and must pay over $13,000 in restitution.
Initially facing four counts of arson, one count was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Both prosecutors and Mr. Maynard’s lawyer recommended a sentence of five years and three months, taking into account his untreated mental health issues at the time of the fires.
Since the incidents in 2021, Mr. Maynard has sought mental health treatment and will continue to receive such services in prison. Phillip A. Talbert, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California, condemned Mr. Maynard’s actions, stating that he “went on an arson spree on federal land while California faced one of the worst fire seasons in history.”
Mr. Maynard set fires in two different areas in 2021, including the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and near the Dixie fire in the Lassen National Forest. Fortunately, the fires were extinguished before causing damage to any buildings.
Former students of Mr. Maynard described him as anxious and troubled, with a particular interest in studying social deviance through topics like Jonestown and Jim Jones. Living out of his vehicle at the time of the fires, Mr. Maynard was reportedly struggling with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Investigators were able to link Mr. Maynard to the fires through food stamp transactions, phone records, and surveillance of his vehicle. Prosecutors argued that Mr. Maynard intentionally set the fires to harm people and took advantage of the volatile situation during the wildfire season.
The sentencing of Mr. Maynard serves as a reminder of the consequences of arson and the importance of addressing mental health issues.
