Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido announced 30-year-old Jesse Humphrey was sentenced Thusday after being convicted by a jury after a five-day trial in October. He was convicted of two counts of Second-Degree Arson and two counts of First-Degree Animals – Torture/Killing. Humphrey started a fire at his then-girlfriend’s home in Warren in September 2024, destroying the home and killing her pets. She was not home at the time, but he knew that her cats were in the building when he set it on fire.
On Thursday, Dec. 4, Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Toia sentenced Humphrey on two counts of Second-Degree Arson and two counts of First-Degree Animals – Torture/Killing. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Maria Panchenko argued that the judge should not accept the probation department’s sentence recommendation of 60 to 240 months, but he should sentence Humphrey to the top of the sentencing guidelines. Toia agreed and sentenced Humphrey to a minimum of 75 to 240 months in the Michigan Department of Corrections with credit for 438 days served.
Toia also ordered Humphrey to have no contact with the victim or her family, no social media contacts, and no attempts to address her in any way. He must remain at least 500 feet from her person, her residence, work or school. He was also ordered to pay the victim $15,000 restitution as a condition of parole.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. “This defendant’s deliberate act of setting the fire and killing two innocent animals was both cruel and deeply destabilizing to the victim and the community. Arson is a violent crime, and the intentional harming of pets is an act of profound cruelty. We are grateful the court recognized the seriousness of his actions, and we hope this outcome provides a measure of justice and safety for the victim moving forward.”
On Thursday, Dec. 4, Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Toia sentenced Humphrey on two counts of Second-Degree Arson and two counts of First-Degree Animals – Torture/Killing. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Maria Panchenko argued that the judge should not accept the probation department’s sentence recommendation of 60 to 240 months, but he should sentence Humphrey to the top of the sentencing guidelines. Toia agreed and sentenced Humphrey to a minimum of 75 to 240 months in the Michigan Department of Corrections with credit for 438 days served.
Toia also ordered Humphrey to have no contact with the victim or her family, no social media contacts, and no attempts to address her in any way. He must remain at least 500 feet from her person, her residence, work or school. He was also ordered to pay the victim $15,000 restitution as a condition of parole.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. “This defendant’s deliberate act of setting the fire and killing two innocent animals was both cruel and deeply destabilizing to the victim and the community. Arson is a violent crime, and the intentional harming of pets is an act of profound cruelty. We are grateful the court recognized the seriousness of his actions, and we hope this outcome provides a measure of justice and safety for the victim moving forward.”
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
