Injured firefighter attends arsonist's sentencing

By Gina Morton
The Daily Item

February 10, 2009 01:20 pm

— DANVILLE — A pyromaniac who set a total of 11 fires in three counties will spend the next 12 to 25 years in state prison, a sentence that a prosecutor and fire officials said was too lenient.
Chester Cyphers, 52, of White Hall, a volunteer firefighter, was sentenced by President Judge Scott Naus on 11 arson charges, simple assault and aggravated assault Monday morning in Montour County Court. One of the fires left Wayne Hawley, a Warrior Run firefighter, with permanent spinal injuries.
District Attorney Robert Buehner Jr. was not happy with the sentence.
“I will not criticize the judge at a sentencing because it is a very difficult job,” he said, “but with that being said, I plan to appear at every parole hearing he has to encourage the parole board to keep Cyphers incarcerated until he’s no longer a danger.”
Two mental evaluations deemed Cyphers a pyromaniac, someone who has irresistible impulses to start fires.
“He is going to be dangerous for as long as he draws a breath,” the prosecutor said.
Warrior Run Area Fire Chief Mark Burrows said, “The sentence is not what I had anticipated. I thought it would be more than this.”
He attended the sentencing with fellow members of the fire department. Also in attendance were several members of the state police.
“It was obvious in court today. He was found by two psychiatrists to be a pyromaniac, and there is no treatment, no magic pill for this,” Burrows continued. “In 12 years, he’ll be 65, and he could be out setting fires again.
“Even after he injured Captain Hawley, his friend, he showed no remorse. He kept setting fires.”
Cyphers’ lawyer, George Lepley of Williamsport, told Judge Naus that the probation office’s recommended sentence was 18 to 45 years.
He asked Naus to reconsider the suggested jail time because of “long-standing life issues that were never addressed.”
As a juvenile, Cyphers was admitted to Danville State Hospital, but was removed too early by his father, Lepley said.
He admitted that heinous acts were committed, but asked the judge to give Cyphers credit for avoiding homes.
Cyphers stood in front of the room and kept his head lowered throughout the hearing. He was shaking as the attorneys spoke.
Buehner said that Cyphers, who began having problems around the age of 17, knew of the injuries he caused Hawley and visited him at the hospital.
“Yet, he continued to set fires knowing the risk to other firefighters,” Buehner said. “It is all self-centered, self-absorbed, narcissistic. ... There are no medications, magic buttons or pills.”
For that reason, he said Cyphers needs to be kept incarcerated so no one else would be hurt or killed.
When asked if he had anything to say, Cyphers mumbled an apology.
Naus said it was apparent that Cyphers was a pyromaniac as a youth, and that his father pulled him out of treatment too early. He said therapy should be available to Cyphers during his time in prison.
Burrows said candidates for membership in the Warrior Run Area Fire Department must pass extensive background checks. He did not know whether Cyphers was subjected to such scrutiny or whether the Washingtonville Fire Department, where Cyphers was a volunteer firefighter, knew of his conviction of arson as a juvenile.
“The judge didn’t take into consideration that firefighters are put in jeopardy every time they go out,” he said. “They are endangered when they drive to the station and when they drive to a fire scene.”
“I feel badly for Cyphers’ family and for the Hawley family,” he concluded.
Hawley attended the sentencing with his wife and daughter.
“It wasn’t too bad,” he said. “It was easier than I thought it would be.” Hawley said he was glad Cyphers pleaded guilty and owned up to the damage he had done, and was glad he didn’t try to get out of it.
“In a way,” he said, “he feels some remorse. ... I’m glad it’s over now. There’s closure to it.”
-- Reporter Wayne Laepple contributed to this article.

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Cyphers’ arsons
Chester Cyphers was sentenced for 11 fires, as follows:
Nov. 28, 2007 — Anthony Township, Montour County
Dec. 12, 2007 — Moreland Township, Lycoming County
March 12, 2008 — Columbia County
March 23, 2008 — PPL Montour Preserve
March 26, 2008 — Columbia County
March 26, 2008 — Lycoming County
March 30, 2008 — Columbia County
April 2, 2008 — Liberty Township, Montour County
April 10, 2008 — PPL Montour Preserve
April 16, 2008 — Columbia County
April 16, 2008 — Lycoming County
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