New Orleans man who set Hammond Walmart on fire convicted | Courts

A New Orleans man accused of setting fire to a Hammond Walmart has been sentenced to five years in prison, the prosecutor’s office said.

Terrence Coe, 45, was sentenced earlier this month after pleading guilty to lighting merchandise at the store in the 2700 block of West Thomas Street on Christmas Eve of 2022. Authorities say he set the fire in an attempt to destroy the packaging opening an item he wanted to steal.

Hammond firefighters entered the Walmart in the 2700 block of West Thomas Street to extinguish the fire, which caused nearly $350,000 in damage, according to court records.

Three days later, Coe turned himself in to Hammond police and admitted to the Louisiana fire marshal that he started the fire by using a lighter to open the package.

Coe will also serve three years of supervised release following his sentence.