By C1 Staff
COTTAGE GROVE, Wis. – A man with burns on his face now faces arson charges after the home of a convicted sex offender caught on fire several times.
ABC News reports that the Wisconsin Department of Corrections rented a home in a Madison suburb for convicted sex offender Harold Nyberg last year. Officials said keeping Nyberg under supervised release in the house would only cost $75,000, when keeping him incarcerated would cost $150,000.
Nyberg was convicted of two counts of second degree sexual assault of a child in 1994.
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The community didn’t want Nyberg, and one of the more outspoken community members was Russell Speigle.
Before Nyberg could move into the house, it caught fire and authorities ruled it arson.
The home was repaired, but before Nyberg could move in, it caught fire again.
Sheriff’s deputies caught someone on surveillance video this time and Speigle became the prime suspect. The day after the second fire, he was found with burns on his face and now faces arson charges.
Detectives are seeking the two 5-gallon gas cans used in the 2/22 Cottage Grove arson. Call 1-800-362-3005. #Reward pic.twitter.com/qwRmDsvowp
— Dane County Sheriff (@DaneSheriff) February 25, 2015
The sheriff says any further arson involving any sex offender’s homes will not be tolerated.