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Former Mo. volunteer firefighter pleads guilty to starting 3 fires

Joshua Gerstner was suspended from the Russellville-Lohman Fire Department earlier this year and was sentenced to probation and counseling

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Joshua Gerstner, 19, was suspended from the Russellville-Lohman Fire Department earlier this year.

Photo/Russellville-Lohman Fire Protection District

By Leila Merrill

COLE COUNTY, Mo. — A former volunteer firefighter has pleaded guilty to starting three fires between November 2021 and February 2022.

Joshua Gerstner, 19, was suspended from the Russellville-Lohman Fire Department earlier this year after confessing, KMIZ reported.

Gerstner was sentenced to five years of probation and must complete a treatment or counseling program, KOMU reported.

He confessed to setting a barn fire in November and two grass fires in February. He told authorities that he set one fire out of anger at his mother and set others out of boredom.

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