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Woman hires tenant to set fire to rental property

A woman hired a tenant to burn down her rental property so she could collect insurance money. In April, the Fort Dodge, Iowa woman, 67-year-old Shirley Weimer p...
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A woman hired a tenant to burn down her rental property so she could collect insurance money.

In April, the Fort Dodge, Iowa woman, 67-year-old Shirley Weimer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use fire to commit wire fraud. She was sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison on Tuesday, November 25, 2014.

Prosecutors said Weimer hired her tenant, Lisa Young, to burn down the property where Young was living. The tenant got her adult children and ex-husband in on it, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The statement said those involved took two tries to burn down the rental property, but finally succeeded. Weimer got more than $78,500 from the insurance claim.

U.S. District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett sentenced Weimer to 120 months in federal prison, according to the statement. A special assessment of $100 was imposed and she was also ordered to pay back the insurance money plus interest to State Farm Insurance.  After she is released from prison, she will serve three years of supervised release.

The federal system does not offer parole.

The others involved were previously sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. Ashley Straight and Gerald Straight both were sentenced to 13 months in prison. Lisa Young was sentenced to seven months, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office statement.

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