Two Penn State rugby players who set a storage shed ablaze were sentenced Friday to three years of probation.
Christopher Petri, 23, and Sean Herbert, 22, will pay $31,000 in restitution for the damages and are ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.
They were each found guilty by a jury of six felonies including arson, criminal mischief, three counts of criminal conspiracy, and possession of incendiary material.
Prosecutors, citing the seriousness of the crime, had asked for a six-month jail sentence.
Petri and Herbert were at a party on Jan. 14, 2014 when they decided to burn the team’s equipment shed to get back at their coach.
The pair was said to be angry with head coach Don Ferrell for a number of perceived slights, including being benched in favor of teammates; providing special treatment to other players; and taking the team on road trips that cost players extra money. According to a news release from the Centre County District Attorney’s office, Petri and Herbert decided to “go mess with the shed to send the coach a message of discontent.”
Ferrell resigned after the arson incident and the entire team was temporarily suspended before being reinstated a few weeks later.
According to prosecutors, the two students used lighter fluid to set a tackling pad on fire around midnight. The shed went up in flames and burned to the ground, taking a nearby cross-country team equipment shed with it. Damages totaled a reported $30,000.
Defense attorneys Jason Dunkle and William Fleming asked the jury to acquit their clients, arguing that it was a prank and that “we’ve all been there.”
Popular Stories:
Penn State Football: Parking Changes For ADA Fans And Price Increases Announced
New York Woman Faces Decades in Prison for Bank Crime Spree that Began in State College
Bitter Cold on the Way, Another Significant Snowfall is Possible
Trustee Involved in Hiring Louis Freeh Expresses Doubts About Report Conclusions
Barron Shares Community Message Regarding Post-Sandusky Penn State
Penn State Hockey: Olczyk Doing Just Fine In New Role
Penn State Football’s 2015 Out-of-Division Schedule Ranks Third-Easiest in Big Ten
Penn State Makes Recommendations to Combat ‘Incredible’ Problem of Sexual Assault
President Barron “Not A Fan” of the Freeh Report
The Coming Year: New Indoor Sports Center, New Apartments & Disruptive Construction
More Community & Entertainment
View all Community & Entertainment
January Is a Call to Action to Respond to Stalking
This column by Centre Safe Executive Director Jennifer Pencek originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette. When we talk about acts of interpersonal violence, oftentimes people will focus on sexual […]
Busy Weekend of Fall Festivals and More on Tap Around Centre County
The weekend of Sept. 29-Oct. 1 is packed with activities around Centre County, including fall festivals, Oktoberfests, fairs, concerts and more. Check out some of the weekend highlights below. For […]
Downtown State College Cheesesteak Shop Sets Opening Date
A new cheesesteak shop that promises a taste of Philly in downtown State College has set an opening date. Campus Steaks plans to hold a grand opening on Aug. 28 […]
