3 months ago
SACRAMENTO, CA - The Bay Area man accused of setting a warehouse fire that destroyed six million bottles of wine pleaded guilty one day before his trial was set to begin.
Mark C. Anderson, 61, entered a guilty plea in Sacramento federal court Tuesday on all 19 counts alleged in a 2007 grand jury indictment.
Anderson was a Sausalito wine merchant who was being evicted from his rented space at the Wines Central warehouse in Vallejo when a fire broke out in October 2005 that destroyed the entire complex. Investigators said gasoline-soaked rags started the blaze in Anderson's storage bay.
The indictment also charged Anderson with shipping wine stolen from his clients, mail fraud and tax evasion.
Anderson's attorney, Mark Reichel, told News10 Anderson agreed to plead guilty in exchange for the U.S. Attorney's recommendation that the judge impose the minimum sentence under federal guidelines, which would be roughly 15 years.
Reichel said if Anderson had been convicted at trial, he most likely would have received a life sentence. Anderson will be formally sentenced Jan. 26.
by George Warren, GWarren@news10.net
KXTV/News10
