Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge Matthew P. Snow sentenced Matthew Bush to five years in a Virginia correctional facility with all five years suspended. The suspended sentence is conditioned upon the satisfactory completion of five years of probation, the payment of court costs and a fine of $15,000.00 and completion of twenty-four hours of community service.
On May 25, 2023, Bush, a former volunteer firefighter, pleaded guilty to the charge of arson – for purposefully and deliberately setting his 2021 Honda Civic on fire, on August 12, 2022. “It is fortunate that no persons were injured by this act. I am grateful for the exceptional efforts of the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Department in the investigation of this arson case. Thank you to the entire Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s prosecution team. The prosecution was led by Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Michele Burton, our team of paralegals, legal services assistants, and our victim-witness case managers. A lot of hours and hard work were dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of Bush. This result could not have been achieved without each one of them,” said Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj.
“Insurance fraud affects each of our citizens and this case shows that our office takes these matters very seriously. We work hard to ensure that our victims are made whole. While the insurance company declined restitution in this matter, it was important that Bush understand the gravity of his actions. His obligation includes working hard to pay off his fines and costs within the next three years,” said Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Michele L. Burton. “I would like to personally thank Investigator Michael Kenyon for his diligence and collaboration in the prosecution of this case. His efforts contributed to a successful prosecution."
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