TEAM -- FROM THE CENTRAL COAST'S
MOST-WATCHED NEWS TEAM.
DALE: GOOD AFTERNOON.
WE'RE GLAD YOU'VE JOINED US.
WE BEGIN ON THE CRIMEWATCH.
SENTENCING DAY FOR A MAN CHARGED
WITH VANDALIZING AND TORCHING
MORE THAN A DOZEN CARS IN THE
APTOS AREA BACK IN 2014.
20-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH SMITH WAS
18-YEARS-OLD AT THE TIME OF THE
ARSON AND VANDALISM CRIMES,
RECEIVED A ONE YEAR SENTENCE TO
THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY JAIL, FOUR
YEARS PROBATION AND MUST ENLIST
IN A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM
THE JUDGE COULD HAVE SENTENCED
SMITH TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON
FOR THE NINE FELONY CLOWN
DISCOUNTS THAT WERE AGAINST HIM,
INCLUDING ARSON.
THE JUDGE CITED SMITHS YOUNG AGE
AND THAT HE HAD NO PRIOR
CRIMINAL RECORD FOR SENTENCING
HIM TO A LIGHTER SENTENCE.
>> WELL, THE CONDUCT HIS CONDUCT
DESERVES PRISON.
I THINK THE COURT LOOKED AT THE
OVERALL CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING
THE DEFENDANT AND HIS AGE AND
LACK OF CRIMINAL HISTORY.
HE IS AN ARSONIST AND HE DOES
HAVE TO REGISTER FOR THE REST OF
HIS LIFE AS AN ARSONIST, SO WE
CAN ALWAYS KEEP TRACK OF HIM.
IF WE HAVE FIRES HE IS SOMEONE
, WE COULD LOOK INTO
INVESTIGATING.
AND HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ANY
TYPE OF INCENDIARY DEVICES.
DALE: BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 20-14,
