Maine man gets five years for July arson fire that destroyed Sanford home

Johnathon Cox, the Montreal Street house that was totally destroyed. (Sanford Police photos)

ALFRED, Maine - A Springvale man pleaded guilty to arson on Friday for his role in a July fire that destroyed a Sanford home and heavily damaged a neighboring property.

The fire left both buildings uninhabitable.
Johnathon Cox, 25, was initially identified by witnesses as being involved and was seen arriving and fleeing the scene, all captured by neighbor's surveillance footage.

Cox was sentenced to eight years with all but five suspended followed by four years of probation. The six-month investigation was conducted by the State Fire Marshal's Office, ATF, and Sanford Police.

The incident unfolded July 6, 2019, around 4:25 a.m. as Sanford Fire and Police departments responded to 26 Montreal St. for a structure fire. First responders discovered a single-family two-story residence fully engulfed in flames. Additionally, the neighboring structure, 24 Montreal St., a two-unit apartment building, was showing flames from the rear of the building. All of the occupants of both buildings were able to escape without injury.

Twenty-six Montreal Street was deemed a total loss. Two of the occupants of 26 Montreal Street were sleeping inside when the fire was started on the front porch. Those residents were awoken by the fire, which blocked their only egress. They escaped the building by climbing through a window. The fire was investigated as an arson and an investigation was opened by the Sanford Police Department, Office of State Fire Marshal, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

After a thorough investigation, which included help from the public by providing residential security camera footage, Johnathon Cox was arrested and charged with arson.

Cox, who is currently out on bail, was ordered to report to the Maine State Prison in Warren by 8 p.m. Monday evening.