By Chris Foreman
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Copyright 2007 Tribune Review Publishing Company
All Rights Reserved
CONNELSVILLE, Pa. — Two brothers, who volunteered as South Connellsville firefighters, might spend as much as a year in prison for setting two brush fires, although a Fayette County judge indicated Wednesday he may reconsider the terms before the Helmses finish their minimum sentences for arson.
The siblings, Michael Helms, 28, and Robert Helms, 23, also must pay more than $48,000 apiece in restitution for the April 2005 blazes that happened when their brother, Steven, was the company’s fire chief.
Although neither brother had a criminal record before the arsons and nobody was injured, Judge Steve P. Leskinen said he felt the offenses warranted prison as a deterrent to others.
The brothers’ defense attorneys asked for probation for the sons of the borough’s police chief, Michael F. Helms.
As a special condition of parole, the Helmses must give up firefighting in the state.
“Don’t feel that we can ignore this type of activity, this type of offense against the public,” Leskinen said.
The state Attorney General’s Office filed charges last year, after a 10-month probe in cooperation with forest fire investigators.
Overall, the Helmses admitted to authorities they set three fires, scorching about 65 acres of forest in Connellsville Township.
Sixty firefighters from five departments needed two days to extinguish the last two fires, involving 64 acres owned by the Foley family near the abandoned Casparis mine. Prosecutors dismissed charges related to one of those incidents.
The series of arsons started on April 10, 2005, with a fire in the Ball Hill section of the township on property owned by Rosie Striner.
Yesterday, the judge gave Robert Helms six months to 1 year in prison, while Michael Helms was sentenced to four months to 1 year.
Authorities said Robert Helms’ fault in the arsons was greater than his brother’s.
They also must repay $29,000 to the Foleys, $14,300 to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and $5,000 to Striner.
Leskinen told Robert Helms that he may consider allowing him to serve the balance of his sentence on weekends after he completes the first three months behind bars.
Meanwhile, the judge ordered the county’s Mental Health/Mental Retardation agency to evaluate Michael Helms immediately. Leskinen said he might reconsider the older brother’s confinement after he spends 30 days in prison.