A Sweetwater man pleaded guilty to arson Thursday afternoon in Monroe County Criminal Court.
William Howard Ferguson III, 36, Childress Avenue, was indicted by the Monroe County grand jury after Sweetwater Police determined him to be the main suspect in a fire that badly damaged an empty house on Childress Avenue in September 2008.

Sweetwater firefighters put out the blaze, but were suspicious of its origins. Sweetwater Police Detective Bill Illingworth took out a warrant for Ferguson, but it took several months before he could be rounded up and brought before the grand jury.

Ferguson, who has been in jail since March 16, received a sentence of four years suspended after 150 days, leaving him with about 50 more days to serve.

Ferguson also pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, domestic assault and resisting an order to stop from a February incident. He received a total of 3 1/2 years suspended after 150 days, but the sentences are to be served concurrently with the arson conviction.

michael.thomason@advocateanddemocrat.com | 442-4575