Lackawanna arsonist sentenced despite family's push for more jail time

"These kids, they have nightmares every night and don't go to bed because they fear the bad guy is going to come back and set their house on fire," says Yaser Soliman, a relative of the family injured in a 2017 fire on Ingham Avenue.

Soliman read an emotional statement before Corey Green's sentencing in court Tuesday morning. He described the PTSD and extensive injuries two children and their parents suffered trying to escape their home engulfed in flames. A third child, only six months old at the time, was thrown out of the window into the arms of a neighbor. "He (Green) sentenced this family to a lifetime of pain and trauma," said Soliman.

Green was found guilty of a nonviolent third-degreearson charge, despite the family and the Erie County District Attorney pushed for a more serious sentence. He was sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of five to 15 years, eligible for parole after four years.

"I believe the evidence was there, but sometimes jurors do things I don't agree with and in this case I strongly disagree," says Erie County DA John Flynn. He believes Green should've been convicted on a more serious charge. 

Yaser Soliman also believes Green should be behind bars for a longer amount of time. Angry, he suggested Judge Christopher J. Burns should resign based on the outcome of this case.

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