Woman to be sentenced for Ga. Army post fire

Associated Press

A former Fort Benning civilian employee was to be sentenced on Wednesday in federal court for burning down the west Georgia post's historic Judge Advocate General's headquarters.

The woman, 31-year-old Shawana Topekia Pierce, pleaded guilty to arson charges in July. The fire caused almost $10 million in damage.

Pierce, who had worked at the JAG office before being dismissed during an investigation into another matter, faces five to 20 years in prison. Her attorney, B. Miles Hannan of Valdosta, says she was upset because her fellow employees would not support her in an investigation into the theft of office supplies.

U.S. Attorney Maxwell Wood said Pierce broke a window and entered the legal office building, piled papers on desks, poured gasoline and set the fire with a butane lighter.