Man Jailed for Blaze That Hurt Detroit Firefighters

A convicted arsonist was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in federal prison for helping set an August 2010 fire that injured seven Detroit firefighters, paralyzing one of them.

Federal prosecutors had sought a 10- to 15-year prison sentence for Samson Wright, 31, of Detroit. U.S. District Judge John Corbett O'Meara gave him the higher amount.

Wright pleaded guilty in May to his role in the blaze. According to court records, Wright and codefendant Calvin Jones torched a Metro PCS store on East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit.

A wall collapsed on seven firefighters, who suffered a wide range of serious injures. Three of the firefighters were forced to retire, including Brendan Milewski, who was paralyzed.

A week ago, fire union officials expressed frustration with the prosecution's recommended sentence.

Initially, prosecutors intended to seek a 25-year prison sentence for Wright, but instead recommended the more lenient sentence because they say he cooperated and took responsibility for his actions.

According to evidence presented in court, Wright has had numerous brushes with the law and suffers from mental health issues. He testified against Jones at trial.

When Dan McNamara, president of the Detroit Fire Fighters Association, first learned about the 10- to 15-year sentence being recommended, he was angry and baffled.

"It's outrageous," McNamara told the Free Press last week. "People need to know that if you harm a public safety officer, you're going to pay the maximum."

On Tuesday, McNamara thanked prosecutors for their hard work.

"The Detroit Fire Fighters Association is very appreciative of all the hard work and dedication that went into the prosecution of this case," McNamara said in a statement. "The events of Aug. 13, 2010, took a devastating toll on our firefighters and their families."

U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said Wright's punishment will hopefully deter others from committing arson.

"Mr. Wright's conduct significantly altered the lives of these firefighters and destroyed local small businesses," McQuade said. "This conviction will not heal the firefighters' serious and permanent injuries, but we hope that it will deter others from committing arson in the future."

Others injured in the blaze were Lt. Gerald Rutkowski, Shayne Raxter, Brian Baulch, Jeron Whitehorn, Eric Jurmo and Lt. Robert Puckett.

According to court records, tipsters led federal agents to Wright and Jones.

Jones, 41, a self-employed mechanic from Detroit, was convicted by a jury in July. He faces up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 30.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service