An Emporia man was sentenced to prison for allegedly trying to set a local apartment building on fire with people inside a year ago.
Initially, Donovan Williams had been facing 11 criminal charges after throwing a homemade incendiary device into an occupied apartment at 825 Congress, including attempted first-degree murder and multiple counts of endangerment, aggravated endangerment and criminal use of explosives. However, Williams accepted a no-contest plea agreement to single counts of aggravated arson, aggravated child endangerment and criminal use of explosives.
Judge Laura Miser sentenced Williams to 73 months total, including 66 for the aggravated arson count and seven months for aggravated child endangerment charge. The criminal use of explosives sentence is concurrent, or simultaneous, with the other charges. The sentence ran counter to defense attorney John Boyd’s request for probation, citing concerns about mental health and substance abuse treatment with a prison sentence.
