Cedar Rapids man sentencing for torching girlfriend’s clothes

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids man will spend 25 years in prison for torching his girlfriend's clothes in his apartment back in 2013.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Sean McPartland sentenced Christopher Perry Friday to 25 years on the arson charge and 10 years on the criminal mischief charge, but he ran the sentences concurrently, as recommended by the prosecutor and defense.

A jury found Perry, 29, guilty of first-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief in August following a four-day trial. According to testimony, the fire was started on Perry's bed and burned the bedroom in his apartment at 324 Jacolyn Dr. SW, Apt. 5, on April 28, 2013.

Witnesses testified they saw Perry arguing with his girlfriend and heard him say he was going to burn clothes and other belongings left in the apartment. Other people were in the building at the time, but nobody was injured.

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden asked the court to leave the case open for 30 days to allow him to submit victim restitution for the apartment building owner. The owner is only asking for Perry to pay the insurance deductible, not the overall damages and repairs.

Perry, who has been in jail for two years, said he has realized that alcohol was a bigger problem for him than he had admitted in the past, and he was making efforts to change.