Beverly Man Gets Prison Time In 2014 House Fires

BEVERLY (AP) — A 20-year-old Beverly man who pleaded guilty to setting a fire that destroyed two houses under construction and damaged eight occupied homes is headed to prison.

Zackary Pavia was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison. He was also ordered to pay restitution but the amount hasn't been determined.

Pavia pleaded guilty in December to three counts of burning a dwelling and 10 counts of wanton destruction of property.

Prosecutors said Pavia and two teens got into the empty, unfinished Beverly house in July 2014 and smoked marijuana, then Pavia returned with a blow torch and set fire to a cardboard box.

The fire spread to another unfinished house, and damaged other occupied houses on the same cul-de-sac, causing an estimated $3 million in damages. No one was injured.