Ohio suspect ordered to pay $2M for Colorado fire

By The AP
Tuesday, November 16, 2010

DENVER — An Ohio man accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old girl was sentenced to eight years in prison in Colorado in 2001 for arson and other charges.

Colorado authorities allowed Matthew J. Hoffman to move to Ohio in 2007 after he was released on parole, which ended about a month ago. He had paid about $4,800 toward $2.06 million in restitution.

The Steamboat Pilot & Today reported that Hoffman pleaded guilty to setting a fire to cover up a burglary he had committed the day before. The fire destroyed two townhomes, damaged eight others and forced the evacuation of 16 people.