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Medical marijuana user, 78, evicted from subsidized housing

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Our View: Lauding United Way’s ‘Loads of Love’

<p>A state appellate court ruled Friday there was enough evidence presented during trial to support the conviction of a woman who started a fire at a double-block residence in Plymouth more than three years ago.</p><p>Marilyn Pasqualichio, 55, appealed her state prison sentence after a jury convicted her in March 2017 of intentionally setting a fire at 70-72 Academy St. on Aug. 13, 2015.</p><p>Investigators suspected Pasqualichio set a mattress on fire after her landlord, Michael Hudak, evicted her for not paying rent. Pasqualichio relocated to a residence on Shawnee Avenue in Hanover Township but returned to the Academy Street duplex to set the blaze.</p><p>State Police Deputy Fire Marshal Trooper Ron Jarocha, now retired, testified during the trial that he traced the origin of the fire to a mattress in a second-floor hallway. Jarocha said he couldn&#8217;t locate any electrical fixtures or faulty wiring that could have caused the blaze.</p><p>Pasqualichio initially claimed a light bulb popped or a candle left ignited on the mattress caused the fire.</p><p>But Jarocha said there was no damage to any light fixtures and melted candle wax would not be hot enough to ignite a mattress.</p><p>Judge Joseph Sklarosky Jr. sentenced Pasqualichio to 22 to 44 months in state prison plus one year on probation in May 2017.</p><p>Pasqualichio appealed, claiming evidence presented during the trial did not support a conviction, and the court denied her request to inform jurors she cooperated with investigators.</p><p>A three-member panel of the Superior Court in a 14-page ruling upheld Pasqualichio&#8217;s conviction and sentence.</p><p>The appellate court ruled testimony by Jarocha was credible to support the cause of the fire and Pasqualichio was seen leaving 70 Academy St. just 10 minutes before flames were reported.</p><p>&#8220;There was evidence that Pasqualichio was the one who set the fire &#8230; we therefore find that there was sufficient evidence to establish all the elements of arson beyond a reasonable doubt,&#8221; the appellate court ruled.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Marilyn-Pasqualichio-DOC-12072018.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Pasqualichio </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Marilyn-Pasqualichio-DOC-12072018.jpg</photo0><caption0>Pasqualichio </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Plymouth arson conviction upheld