An Ansonia man accused of trying to torch his Shelton workplace last year — then concocting a story claiming he was kidnapped — will decide next month whether to accept or reject a plea offer in the case.
Allister James, 33, has been behind bars since last June, after a Shelton detective obtained an arrest warrant charging him in connection to a fire at Honey Cell, a Bridgeport Avenue packaging company where he worked.
The fire was reported about 12:30 a.m. June 8 and was put out by sprinklers within the building, but not before doing more than $10,000 in damage.
As police and firefighters were responding to the blaze, James dialed 911 from a nearby commuter lot.
He told police that earlier that night he had gone for a drive to clear his head, but got carjacked in the parking lot of BJ’s in Derby.
James allegedly told police that two men threatened him with a shotgun and also showed him pictures of his family, then made him follow them to Shelton.
Once there, he said his assailants made him break into Honey Cell and douse his boss’ office in gasoline before one of them threw a lit piece of paper through the window, setting the room and James on fire.
Detectives investigating the case couldn’t find any evidence to substantiate James’ story, though — and James’ boss told them he was about to fire James for walking away from work days before the blaze.
James was arrested a week after the fire, after cops concluded he made up the kidnapping.
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James appeared briefly at Superior Court in Milford Tuesday, where prosecutor Cornelius Kelly offered him a plea deal — up to five years behind bars.
Kelly said that James’ lawyer, Public Defender Susan Brown, had given him a report from a doctor about “mental health issues” from which James suffers.
Without specifying what the issues are, Kelly said that in light of the report he would let James plead guilty to second-degree arson and face no more than five years behind bars at sentencing.
Brown asked Judge Frank Iannotti for a continuance for James to consider the offer.
The judge then continued the case to Dec. 14.
James faces charges of first-degree arson, first-degree burglary, first-degree reckless endangerment, and first-degree criminal mischief.
He has been detained at Bridgeport Correctional Center since last June on $250,000 bond, according to Correction Department records.
