What Are the Penalties for Arson in Illinois?

 Posted on June 09, 2022 in Criminal Law

In Illinois, you can be charged with arson if you used fire or explosives to damage someone else’s property or if you are suspected of intentionally damaging any building, including your own, with fire or explosives to commit insurance fraud. Depending on the circumstances of the case and the type of building that is alleged to be the target, you may be facing different varieties of arson charges. Make no mistake though, any arson charge is a serious one. You need to retain a criminal defense attorney who can aggressively fight the charges against you.

Types of Arson in Illinois

Whether it started as a prank or something more sinister, arson charges are serious. To be charged with arson under the above definition, the property damage must be $150 or more. That means even minor fires can lead to major charges. Here are the types of arson under Illinois law:

• A basic arson charge is a Class 2 felony, and you are facing three to seven years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.

• If you are charged with burning someone else’s house or home dwelling, you could be charged with residential arson. Residential arson is a Class 1 felony, and you face between four and fifteen years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.

• If you are accused of burning a church or other place of worship, you could be charged with place of worship arson. This is also a Class 1 felony and has the same penalties as residential arson.

• Aggravated arson represents the most serious arson charge in Illinois and is classified as a Class X felony. You could face between six and 30 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000. Aggravated arson occurs when you commit arson when you know or should have known that someone is in the building and that person suffered great bodily harm or permanent disfigurement or disability from the fire. It could also be charged if a fireman, policeman, or anyone else in the line of duty is injured while responding to an arson fire.

Call an Orland Park Arson Defense Attorney

If you have been charged with arson, you are facing serious felony charges. At Issa Law, LLC, we have experience with arson cases. We can gather all of the details of your case, build a strong defense, and try to get reduced charges or get the charges dismissed altogether. Do not hesitate to call our Will County criminal defense attorney at 708-966-2408 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K20-1

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K20-1.1