Arsonist, Stalker Sentenced For 2023 Blaze In Columbia That Injured Firefighter

COLUMBIA, MD — A 43-year-old Capitol Heights man has been sentenced to more than 100 years in prison for intentionally setting fire to three apartments in 2023 where an individual lived who he had been stalking and harassing, prosecutors said.

Between Sept. 4 and Sept. 12 in 2023, the victim reported being stalked and harassed by Lonnell Rainey, prosecutors said. On Sept. 12, Rainey used gasoline to set fire to the victim's apartment, located along Steven's Forest Road. That fire destroyed the basement apartment, as well as apartments above it and the entire apartment building, evidence showed.

Howard County firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, but one firefighter was injured and all 18 of the residents were displaced.

Rainey was convicted of three counts of 1st-degree arson, home invasion, three counts of reckless endangerment, stalking, violating a protective order, intimidating a witness and other related offenses following a five-day trial. He has been sentenced to 130 years of active incarceration with the first 55 years served until parole eligible, prosecutors stated.