A Ripley woman accused of intentionally starting a fire over the summer will serve between three to nine years in state prison.
Melissa Bridges was sentenced Wednesday by County Court Judge David Foley. The 53-year-old was previously convicted on a third-degree arson charge, a class D felony, the county DA’s office announced.
Members of the Ripley Fire Department, assisted by neighboring volunteers, responded Aug. 5 around 11:30 a.m. to 100 W. Main St. for a residential fire. According to county fire investigators, Bridges was “observed intentionally starting items on fire, next to the the residence, with the intent to burn the residence.”
“Those items did start the wood and vinyl siding of the house on fire,” the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release at the time.
