Hui Zhang sentenced for Port Jervis arson

On Monday, February 10, Hui Zhang, 53, of Middletown was sentenced in Orange County Court before the Honorable Craig Stephen Brown to two to six years in prison after pleading guilty to arson in the third degree and bail jumping in the second degree, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced.

According to Hoovler’s announcement, on September 30, 2021, at around 3:30 a.m., a structure fire occurred at a building with a detached garage in Port Jervis. An investigation found that a fire was started in at least three different places, indicating that the fire was intentionally set. Zhang, who owned the building which was under renovation at the time of the fire, allegedly admitted to the police that he had insurance policies on the building and had intentionally lit the fire. After being charged in 2021, Zhang failed to appear in Port Jervis City Court and a warrant was issued. He was later located in New Jersey and returned to authorities in Orange County. At the plea proceedings, Zhang admitted to intentionally damaging the building by starting a fire and also to failing to appear in court as directed after having been previously released.

“Justice will not rest in the pursuit of felony offenders who seek to avoid responsibility by fleeing the jurisdiction of the court,” said Hoovler. “This defendant’s actions were both dangerous and needless and the sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of his crimes. I appreciate the work of the investigators and law enforcement personnel who brought this defendant into custody.”