Pennsylvania Attorney Gets Prison for Torching Guest House

A central Pennsylvania attorney has been ordered to spend more than two years in prison for setting fire to a guest house on his property to cover up the fact that he was stealing money from clients.

Prosecutors said Wednesday 75-year-old William Trickett Smith Sr. will begin serving his sentence later this month on charges of arson, insurance fraud and evidence tampering.

Smith pleaded guilty last week. Dauphin County prosecutors tell The Patriot-News they Smith acknowledged setting the 2007 fire at his Swatara Township property because of the theft investigation.

Smith has already finished a jail term for the theft case. He previously spent time in prison for a bid-rigging scandal tied to former state treasurer Budd Dwyer.

Smith’s son is behind bars for killing his wife in Peru.