A Guilderland man’s sentence could led to more than a decade in prison after pleading guilty to acts of burglary and arson, according to county District Attorney David Soares.
Albany County Court Judge Stephen Herrick on Friday, May 9, sentenced Mathew C. Woelfersheim, 37, to up to 12 years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to arson and two counts of burglary.
Woelfersheim was sentenced to two to six years in prison for two counts of burglary in the third degree, a felony, to be served consecutively for a total of four to 12 years. He was also sentenced to a concurrent sentence of four to 12 years in prison for committing arson in the third degree, also a felony.
Woelfersheim pleaded guilty to the three charges on March 21.
Woelfersheim illegally entered a business on West Street in Albany between July 25 and Sept. 1, 2012, and stole more than $1,000. He also entered a business on Watervliet Avenue in Albany on Aug. 28 and 31 of last year and stole money both times.
He also intentionally set an abandoned building ablaze on Sept. 30 of last year at 3400-10 Carman Road in Guilderland. Police said the fire “totally destroyed” the building. The fire also spread from the unoccupied building and damaged a neighbor’s garage and vehicle, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Cheryl Fowler prosecuted the case.
