A 20-year-old man accused of last year starting a Longmont house fire that required firefighters to rescue a dog and a macaw has pleaded guilty in his case.
Michael Jacob Ealey, 20, on Friday in Boulder District Court pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree arson, a Class 3 felony, and was set for sentencing on March 6, according to online court records.
In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of criminal mischief causing $100,000 to $1 million in damage and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Longmont crews were called to a fire on April 1 inside the attic of a home on the 1200 block of Sherri Mar Court. The residents were not home when the fire was originally reported, but a black lab and a macaw had to be rescued. The animals were not injured, but firefighters said the majority of the house was no longer habitable due to smoke damage.