The man who started the fire that killed Binghamton firefighter John “JR” Gaudet will spend years in state prison.
According to the Broome County District Attorney’s Office, 37-year-old Patrick Shea was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of manslaughter and arson in Broome County Court on Monday.
Shea admitted to setting the fire to keep warm inside the vacant building at 1 Main Street in Binghamton on Feb. 12, 2025.
Gaudet, who was an 11-year veteran of the Binghamton Fire Department, died from injuries sustained in the fire.
Two other firefighters suffered non-life threatening injuries during the incident.
Shea’s sentence also includes five years of post-release supervision.
