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3rd volunteer firefighter sentenced for role in arsons

A third firefighter with the Florence Volunteer Fire Department, Gary Richard Luker, has been sentenced to 30 months probation for his role in a string of arsons in Cape Breton in 2016.

Gary Richard Luker to serve 30 months probation

This abandoned house in Florence burned June 30, 2016. (George Mortimer/CBC)

The third and final Florence, N.S., volunteer firefighter charged in a string of arsons in Cape Breton has been sentenced.

Gary Richard Luker, 34, was initially charged with two counts of arson, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of mischief in relation to property.

Luker was sentenced to 30 months of probation and must adhere to a number of conditions, including no contact with his co-accused.

Both James Clayton MacDonald and Stephen Eric Tremblett have been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $100,000.

James MacDonald, left, and Stephen Tremblett pleaded guilty to setting fires when they were members of the Florence Volunteer Fire Department. (Facebook)

Last fall, MacDonald pleaded guilty to 14 counts of arson, and Tremblett pleaded guity to six counts of arson.

There were 16 set fires involving cars, houses and other buildings in the Bras d'Or and Florence areas in 2016. No one was injured in the fires.

About the Author

Yvonne LeBlanc-Smith

Reporter

Yvonne LeBlanc-Smith was born and raised in Cape Breton. She began her career in private radio in Sydney and has been with CBC as a reporter, early morning news editor and sometimes host since 1990.