Md. Man Pleads Guilty in Development Fire

United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Allen Loucks
announced that Jeremy Daniel Parady, 21, of Accokeek, Maryland pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson in connection with the Dec. 6, 2004 fire at the Hunters Brooke development located in Charles County, Md.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, the parties agreed to ask the court to sentence Parady to 118 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $4,178,698.33. Sentencing has been set for June 14.

According to the statement of facts agreed to by the parties, beginning in August of 2004 Parady conspired with others to commit arson at 35 houses under construction in the Hunter’s Brooke development in Indian Head, Charles County, Maryland.

To carry out the scheme, the conspirators obtained flammable materials and poured the materials into containers. They placed
the containers within and around numerous houses located in the Hunter’s Brooke development.

To conceal the flammable materials, the conspirators used common containers such as drywall buckets, detergent bottles and other large plastic containers. On Dec. 6, 2004, the conspirators poured other accelerants in the entranceways and other areas of the houses located on those lots.

Using flares, matches and propane torches, the conspirators then lit the flammable materials, causing a series of fires which resulted in the destruction of or damage to several houses in various stages of construction. None of the houses were occupied at the time of the fires.

Parady’s role during the arson was, among other things, to drive one of the vehicles used to move from house to house to light the fires.

Parady also recruited or attempted to recruit others to participate in the setting of the fires. In addition, he supplied some of the flares used to start the fires and obtained the flares from a local fire department where he was a volunteer.

Parady reportedly admitted that he selected the Hunter’s Brooke development as the object of the arsons because he knew or perceived that many of the purchasers of the houses in that development were African-American.

The plea agreement also provided for an increased sentence for obstruction of justice based upon Parady’s false testimony during a suppression hearing held in U.S. District Court on April 14.

The plea must be accepted by the court which deferred ruling on the plea until after completion of a pre-sentence investigation report.