After pleading guilty to arson charges in Montgomery County, a former Laurel police chief is set to be sentenced Friday, even though he is already spending the rest of his life behind bars.
David Michael Crawford faces a maximum sentence of 80 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree arson and one count of second-degree arson. The plea came as part of a deal with the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office and any sentence will run concurrent with the life sentence Crawford is already serving after his conviction in Howard County.
Crawford set a string of fires across Maryland at the homes of family members and police officials, over the course of nine years.
In addition to the convictions in Howard and Montgomery counties, Crawford is believed to have set fires in Prince George’s, Frederick and Charles counties.
He was arrested in March 2021.
Investigators had surveillance video that showed a similar pattern where Crawford would start the fires with gasoline, prosecutors said.
Investigators were able to link multiple cases following a 2020 fire when they discovered that Crawford had previous disagreements with multiple victims. Some of Crawford’s victims include a former City of Laurel official, three former law enforcement officials, including a former City of Laurel Police Chief, two relatives, two of Crawford’s chiropractors and a resident in his neighborhood.
Crawford served as the City of Laurel Police Chief from 2006 until 2010, when he resigned.
Mates is a reporter for 7News WJLA.