Burnham sentenced for torching cruiser

WORCESTER – A man who cackled as he doused a Southbridge police cruiser in gasoline and set it ablaze in 2015 was sentenced to 3 years in the state prison in Walpole, a punishment that has drawn the ire of Southbridge Police Chief Shane D. Woodson.

Arthur A. Burnham, 48, then homeless, was arrested on the night of June 16, 2015, after an unoccupied cruiser was set afire in the rear parking lot of the police station. A police officer said at the time that he saw Mr. Burnham cheering, with his arms raised in the air, once the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

Worcester Superior Court Judge James Gavin Reardon Jr. imposed the sentence on Friday. Mr. Burnham has been jailed since his arrest, and he will get credit for the 992 days he's served awaiting disposition of the case. He also received an 18-month suspended sentence during which he will serve probation with conditions.

Meanwhile, Chief Woodson, in an interview after the sentencing, said that members of his department wanted Mr. Burnham to be sentenced to more prison time.

“I believe that would have been fair for what this man did,” Chief Woodson said, adding that Mr. Burnham “is either going to kill himself, a police officer, or a citizen.”

He added: “We’ve already had police officers killed in this state by violent criminals who were released early,” he said. “With everything going on, all the violence in the country, and police being targeted, someone’s going to have to explain (the sentence) to me some day.”

Mr. Burnham pleaded guilty to throwing or placing an incendiary device, two counts of maliciously damaging a motor vehicle and a single count of burning personal property.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph A. Simmons said the state recommended Mr. Burnham serve 6 to 8 years in state prison, plus 5 years of probation.

“We ask a lot of our police officers,” Mr. Simmons told the judge. “What we don’t ask is for people to show up at their police station and attack them and put their lives and the lives of firefighters at risk.”

Southbridge Police Lt. Steven Bellerose gave an impact statement during the court proceeding. He said that in addition to the loss of the police vehicle, it cost the department $60,000 to have a fence constructed around the station to protect their property as a result of the incident.

“Our biggest concern is that Mr. Burnham has threatened officers in the past,” Lt. Bellerose said. “He’s gone out of his way to make problems for us, even when we’re just doing details or just driving by.

“The threats that he makes, I don’t think are just veiled threats. He has worked his way up to where he acted. Thankfully, it was just a piece of property that can be replaced."

The lieutenant went on to say that another dangerous encounter could be imminent when Mr. Burnham is released from prison, which, because he has already served almost 3 years disposition of his case, will likely be in less than 4 months.

“The men and women of the Southbridge Police Department are safer as long as he is locked up,” Lt. Bellerose said.

In addition to the prison term and probation, Mr. Burnham is to submit to a drug evaluation and treatment with random screenings, a mental health evaluation and treatment, and he is to report to probation twice weekly.

The judge said he recommended, but can’t order, Mr. Burnham to continue taking medication for his underlying mental health condition.

In his dealings with Mr. Burnham, who represented himself as the case progressed, but had a lawyer represent him for sentencing, Judge Reardon said that he considered Mr. Burnham an intelligent and rational person who’s had issues with authority and who has claimed to have been inappropriately treated.

But the judge told Mr. Burnham, “You can’t continue this sort of activity."

Judge Reardon said he agreed that "the activities you engaged in are dangerous, not just to the police, but to the community, and for that reason, among others, you’re on probation with the conditions.”

Deputy Police Chief Jose A. Dingui said in an interview that it cost the department about $40,000 to replace the cruiser and all of its equipment, which included a new laptop, prisoner cage, radar unit and canine gear. Usually the department swaps out and reuses some of the equipment, but in this case it was a complete loss, he said.