State v. McGill

YETKA, Justice.

Defendant was found guilty by a district court jury of a charge of arson in the first degree, Minn.Stat. § 609.561, subd. 1 (1980), for setting fire to a dwelling in Benson which he and his wife possessed as vendees under a contract for deed. The presumptive sentence for this offense (severity level VII) by one with defendant’s criminal history score (zero) is 24 months in prison with sentence executed. The trial court imposed a 24-month sentence, but departed disposi-tionally by placing defendant on probation. The trial court also fined defendant $2,500 and ordered defendant…