A New London judge refused to reduce the sentence of a probationary firefighter who torched three houses in Mystic in the summer of 2008 to impress his colleagues. With an unhappy fire victim and defendant William Celtruda's heartbroken family members looking on, Judge Susan B. Handy sentenced the 23-year-old Groton man to 14 years in prison and five years probation. She told him he was lucky he had not killed a firefighter or the people in the two occupied homes he had set afire.

With an unhappy fire victim and defendant William Celtruda's heartbroken family members looking on, Judge Susan B. Handy sentenced the 23-year-old Groton man to 14 years in prison and five years probation. She told him he was lucky he had not killed a firefighter or the people in the two occupied homes he had set afire.Celtruda, formerly of 286 Judson Ave., has been incarcerated since August 2008, when he confessed to setting fire to an unoccupied house at 23 Library St. in downtown Mystic on July 25 and to occupied homes at 115 Little Gull Ave. and 19 W. Mystic Ave. on Aug. 12.

Celtruda, formerly of 286 Judson Ave., has been incarcerated since August 2008, when he confessed to setting fire to an unoccupied house at 23 Library St. in downtown Mystic on July 25 and to occupied homes at 115 Little Gull Ave. and 19 W. Mystic Ave. on Aug. 12. In November 2009, he accepted a plea offer from the state in which he was to be sentenced to 10 to 14 years in prison for one count of first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree arson and one count of first-degree criminal mischief. The criminal mischief charge stems from an unrelated incident in which he vandalized an ex-girlfriend's truck in Waterford.

In November 2009, he accepted a plea offer from the state in which he was to be sentenced to 10 to 14 years in prison for one count of first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree arson and one count of first-degree criminal mischief. The criminal mischief charge stems from an unrelated incident in which he vandalized an ex-girlfriend's truck in Waterford. Despite receiving the results of a psychiatric evaluation from defense attorney Anthony Basilica that indicates Celtruda suffers from mental health issues and had a longtime substance abuse problem, Handy said there was nothing to persuade her to reduce the state's recommended sentence.

Despite receiving the results of a psychiatric evaluation from defense attorney Anthony Basilica that indicates Celtruda suffers from mental health issues and had a longtime substance abuse problem, Handy said there was nothing to persuade her to reduce the state's recommended sentence. The judge ordered Celtruda to make a total of $9,150 in restitution to the pickup truck owner and the owners of the Little Gull Avenue and W. Mystic Avenue homes. She ordered him to repay $50,000 to Gretchen Chipperini, owner of the Library Street home. The judge acknowledged Celtruda would be able to repay the full $50,000 only in the event of a windfall. She said he would be required to make the payments while he is on probation based on what officials determine he can afford. She said she was leaving other remedies to the homeowners' losses to the jurisdiction of a civil court.

The judge ordered Celtruda to make a total of $9,150 in restitution to the pickup truck owner and the owners of the Little Gull Avenue and W. Mystic Avenue homes. She ordered him to repay $50,000 to Gretchen Chipperini, owner of the Library Street home. The judge acknowledged Celtruda would be able to repay the full $50,000 only in the event of a windfall. She said he would be required to make the payments while he is on probation based on what officials determine he can afford. She said she was leaving other remedies to the homeowners' losses to the jurisdiction of a civil court. Chipperini, who had spent years restoring the Library Street home, said in a statement to the court that she doubted Celtruda would make an effort to work while on probation or would possibly work only at "cash" jobs to avoid making payments. In her lengthy remarks, she compared Celtruda to the man who tried to bomb an airplane on Christmas Day, saying both were young men involved with other "hoodlums" who committed their crimes with an intent to kill.

Chipperini, who had spent years restoring the Library Street home, said in a statement to the court that she doubted Celtruda would make an effort to work while on probation or would possibly work only at "cash" jobs to avoid making payments. In her lengthy remarks, she compared Celtruda to the man who tried to bomb an airplane on Christmas Day, saying both were young men involved with other "hoodlums" who committed their crimes with an intent to kill. Attorney Beth Sabilia, representing the homeowner at 19 W. Mystic Ave., said her client was lucky she had decided to leave her window open that summer night rather than turn on the air conditioner. She said the woman, who had recently moved to Mystic from New York City, heard crackling noises and looked out the window to see flames.

Attorney Beth Sabilia, representing the homeowner at 19 W. Mystic Ave., said her client was lucky she had decided to leave her window open that summer night rather than turn on the air conditioner. She said the woman, who had recently moved to Mystic from New York City, heard crackling noises and looked out the window to see flames. "And the first thing that went through her mind is, 'Why is someone trying to kill me?' '' Sabilia said.

"And the first thing that went through her mind is, 'Why is someone trying to kill me?' '' Sabilia said. The woman said she locked eyes at the fire scene with Celtruda, who had responded with the department, not yet knowing he was the person who set the fire. She said Celtruda had a chilling, unremorseful look in his eyes.

The woman said she locked eyes at the fire scene with Celtruda, who had responded with the department, not yet knowing he was the person who set the fire. She said Celtruda had a chilling, unremorseful look in his eyes. Celtruda's grandfather Rocco, a longtime fire volunteer, said he got "Billy" involved in the fire service thinking it would help his grandson mature.

Celtruda's grandfather Rocco, a longtime fire volunteer, said he got "Billy" involved in the fire service thinking it would help his grandson mature. "He's 23 years old physically, but his emotional security is much more that of a teenager," said Rocco Celtruda. "When he drinks, he loses his moral compass."

"He's 23 years old physically, but his emotional security is much more that of a teenager," said Rocco Celtruda. "When he drinks, he loses his moral compass." The grandfather said the pain in the pit of his stomach and the hole in his heart for what Celtruda has done will never go away, but that his grandson is basically "a good kid" who immediately took responsibility for his actions.

The grandfather said the pain in the pit of his stomach and the hole in his heart for what Celtruda has done will never go away, but that his grandson is basically "a good kid" who immediately took responsibility for his actions. Celtruda, reading from a prepared statement, said he was "both apologetic and extremely remorseful." He said he could not explain why he committed these acts, but that his drug abuse, including the use of crystal meth, had influenced him.

Celtruda, reading from a prepared statement, said he was "both apologetic and extremely remorseful." He said he could not explain why he committed these acts, but that his drug abuse, including the use of crystal meth, had influenced him. "Under my right and uninfluenced frame of mind, I would not be capable of these acts," he said.

"Under my right and uninfluenced frame of mind, I would not be capable of these acts," he said. Celtruda told investigators he lit the fires to try to prove himself to his fellow firefighters, who had taunted him about never having responded to a blaze. He said he set fire to the Library Street home in the early morning of July 25 after drinking beer with fellow firefighters. He said he placed paper towels inside a rolled-up carpet on the front porch, then drove to the Hoxie fire station to wait for the call. He was one of the first people to respond. The home's roof and a section of the porch collapsed with firefighters in close proximity, putting them at great risk, prosecutor Lawrence J. Tytla said.

Celtruda told investigators he lit the fires to try to prove himself to his fellow firefighters, who had taunted him about never having responded to a blaze. He said he set fire to the Library Street home in the early morning of July 25 after drinking beer with fellow firefighters. He said he placed paper towels inside a rolled-up carpet on the front porch, then drove to the Hoxie fire station to wait for the call. He was one of the first people to respond. The home's roof and a section of the porch collapsed with firefighters in close proximity, putting them at great risk, prosecutor Lawrence J. Tytla said.Celtruda was again looking to impress his colleagues on Aug. 12 when he went to the Little Gull Lane home and set it on fire while its occupants, a couple and their young children, slept. His fire company was not called out to that scene, since it was in a different fire district, "so he went to the West Mystic Avenue home to give it another shot," Tytla said. The owner had heard someone running up her driveway immediately before the fire began.

Celtruda was again looking to impress his colleagues on Aug. 12 when he went to the Little Gull Lane home and set it on fire while its occupants, a couple and their young children, slept. His fire company was not called out to that scene, since it was in a different fire district, "so he went to the West Mystic Avenue home to give it another shot," Tytla said. The owner had heard someone running up her driveway immediately before the fire began.k.florin@theday.com

k.florin@theday.com