The man who burned down Chico’s historic Bidwell Mansion received an 11-year sentence after admitting to the crime. But Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey says he could serve less than that.
Ramsey told NSPR that if Kevin Alexander Carlson is on good behavior in prison he could get incentive credits, which could take at least three years off his sentence. It could also be reduced further for other reasons.
“If he does some treatment, if he takes a class on how not to commit arsons … does [Alcoholics Anonymous] he gets additional credit,” Ramsey said.” If he wishes to get another degree they will give him additional credit.”
Carlson’s prison sentence was already lighter than it would have been if he destroyed the mansion just a week later. That’s because Proposition 36 wasn’t in effect when the incident happened in December.
Ramsey said Prop 36 is designed to make the punishment fit the crime.
“When you start destroying millions of dollars worth of property the punishment goes up. We now have that. We did not have that when he committed his crime,” Ramsey said.
Prop 36 adds an additional year for damages exceeding $3 million, and a year more for each additional $3 million in damages.
Officials say the cost to rebuild the mansion isn’t certain, but it would likely be many millions.
