Arsonist receives up to 15 years in prison

LUDINGTON — Travis Malone received two concurrent sentences of 5 to 15 years in prison today for arson. The 18-year-old Ludington resident also received 2 to 5 years in prison for unlawfully driving away a vehicle.

Malone, along with Marshall Jennings Brault, 20, burned down an abandoned house on North William Street on Oct. 17, 2012, along with a garage at 407 N. Robert St.

The two were also involved with stealing a truck and breaking and entering in the Wishing Well convenience store in Pentwater.

Malone has a long history of criminal activity. In September 2012 he was sentenced to breaking and entering of Journey alternative high school on U.S. 10-31 in Amber Township. He was on probation when he committed the crimes starting Oct. 17, meaning an additional sentence; he was also sentenced to 14 months to 10 years for six counts of probation violation.

Because of those previous offenses he was also sentenced as a habitual offender.

Malone’s attorney David Glancy tried to ask 51st Circuit Court Judge Richard Cooper to reduce the sentence to a minimum of 36 months so Malone could participate in a boot camp program. Cooper said that Malone’s past history and his age created a red flag, indicating habitual criminal history.

Malone is also serving a sentence from an Oceana County court in connection to the Wishing Well breaking and entering.