Arson ringleader gets 137 years in prison

DETROIT (AP) -- A Detroit federal judge has sentenced a man to 137 years in prison for leading an arson ring that prosecutors say led to the destruction of numerous homes and the theft of $5 million from insurance companies. The Justice Department says U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland sentenced 31-year-old Ali Darwich on Wednesday. The Beverly Hills man was convicted of 33 criminal counts at a trial in December. The government says the scheme by Darwich and eight co-defendants started in 2005. It says they'd buy insurance for various buildings and vehicles and then intentionally burn or damage them. The eight others have pleaded guilty. Published: Fri, May 10, 2013