A homeless Lewiston man arrested for starting a Sunday morning fire that destroyed an empty downtown home is being held on a $100,000 bond following his arraignment Monday.
62-year-old Robert Charpentier has been charged with first-degree arson.
According to the Lewiston Tribune, he faces up to 25 years in prison or $100,000 in fines. Charpentier also faces a sentencing enhancement for being a persistent violator for felony convictions in Asotin and Nez Perce counties, including malicious mischief and burglary. Those charges could result in a maximum penalty of life in prison or not less than five years.
Charpentier was contacted at the home, located at 1511 Sixth Ave, around 1:50 a.m. Sunday where he had an active fire in a metal can. Lewiston firefighters extinguished the fire.
At 6:40 a.m. another fire was reported and the building was destroyed.
According to an affidavit, Charpentier went with detectives to the scene of the fire, where he allegedly showed detectives where the fire allegedly started, which matched the initial investigation by the fire marshal. Charpentier was then arrested and booked into the Nez Perce County Jail.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for April 20th. (Lewiston Tribune)
