July 3, 2013 - Convicted Arsonist- David Clifton Parks- Gets 20 Years

David Clifton Parks, 38, of Melfa, Virginia,　was sentenced today for his conviction in an April 11, 2012 arson

on Sheephouse Road in Pocomoke City, Worcester County, Maryland.　 Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Thomas C. Groton, III　sentenced Parks to 20 years for the Second Degree Arson conviction.　　Judge Groton suspended 8 years.　 Additionally Parks was sentenced to 5 years supervised probation with mandatory alcohol and mental health consoling with　GPS monitoring upon his parole.　 Parks was also ordered (to pay) restitution to the family in the amount of $2,900.　 During the sentencing today, Parks admitted to setting the fire and said he had "a problem with setting fires".　 During the procedures today, Parks' defense attorney stated he was a firefighter.　 Judge Groton quickly corrected the Defense and said, "He was a firefighter back in 2006 when he was convicted in Wicomico County of arson, he was not a firefighter in 2012."　　 Fire Marshal Jeff McMahon was asked to give a statement in which he stated, "With the conviction of two arsons it is clear Mr. Parks has a problem.　


Photo /Worcester Couty Fire Marsh Office

 Although the fire he (Parks) set was in an unoccupied structure, the hazards to the responding firefighter still exist.  These firefighters are volunteers and in addition to being placed in harms way during the supression of the fire, they also may be injured responding to and returning from the fires."  A family member also made a statement in which she expressed the stress on the family.

According to Worcester County Fire Marshal Jeff McMahon, after a lengthy investigation, Parks was arrested on August 14, 2012 and the trial was held in April 2013. Parks was found guilty on all four charges including Second Degree Arson, Malicious Burning, Malicious Destruction of Property and Reckless Enlargement. In 2006, Parks was charged with setting several fires in Salisbury, Maryland.  He was convicted of setting at least one of the fires in 2006 for which he served time in the Maryland Correctional System.

Scource: