A 32-year-old man was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison in federal court on Friday for an arson at a Port Ludlow condo complex more than five years ago.
The fire, early on the morning of Dec. 2, 2004, destroyed one building in the Admiralty One complex, damaged two others and caused more than $2.7 million in damage. Three people barely escaped the fire.
And it was intentionally set, Kevin Lee Graesser — who was arrested in Alaska in 2007 but now lists a Port Hadlock residence — admitted in a plea agreement in U.S. District Court, because he thought a man was living at a condo who had been seeing his girlfriend.
Court documents say that he thought he recognized the man’s car parked at the condominium. In fact, the Mercedes Benz belonged to the man’s 83-year-old grandmother.
The man wasn’t there.
Court documents say Graesser started the fire in the car. An electrical short caused the car’s horn to sound, which alerted a condo resident who found the fire and warned others.
Graesser pleaded guilty to the arson fire last Oct. 9.
