Wilmington Firebug Behind Bars: Cops

JOLIET, IL — A Wilmington man charged with torching an apartment building was booked into the Will County jail Tuesday night.

Andrew Sterling, 22, was arrested on charges of arson and aggravated arson. His bond had been previously set at $100,000.

Sterling remained at the scene of his crime, police said, and while he was there, was “acting suspiciously.”

Sterling also “alerted upstairs residents of the fire and one resident, 14 years of age, had to be transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation,” according to police.

In January 2015, Sterling was charged with disorderly conduct for making a bomb threat at Wilmington High School and drawing a “depiction of a stick figure person holding a gun and shooting another stick figure person” in a bathroom stall, according to court papers.

Sterling pleaded guilty in March 2015 and was sentenced to court supervision. He was also ordered to perform community service. He performed his community service at the Custer Township Fire Protection District, according to his court file.

According to court papers, Sterling cleaned the fire station, cleaned tools and equipment, replaced the equipment on an engine, and tested and washed hoses, among other things.