'Fire Selfie' Arsonist Given 55 Years in Prison

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A man who burned down a home in revenge over a love triangle – and then took a selfie in front of the charred debris – was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Anne Arundel County prosecutors said Justin Michael Clum, 26, of Pasadena, intentionally set fire to a house on Wendover Road in Glen Burnie in July 2015. He pleaded guilty to 26 charges, including attempted murder and arson, on Feb. 9.

Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams announced the sentencing on Tuesday.

“I am pleased that Judge Silkworth recognized this repeat offender as a threat to the citizens of Anne Arundel County,” Adams said in a statement. “Mr. Clum’s intentional and reckless actions in his attempt to kill one intended victim, almost killed another man, woman and child as they slept. His actions also put 23 of our first responders in harm’s way as they battled this blaze in the middle of the night.”

Police say Clum set the fire on the front porch of the Sandra and Brian Deal home July 17 to punish a man they rented a room to, whom Clum believed was involved with his girlfriend. The couple and their teenage daughter escaped the blaze unharmed, but lost everything.

Clum and his girlfriend were drinking vodka late that night on a community pier when Clum learned of a past sexual relationship between his girlfriend and another man. Clum obtained gasoline and drove to the man's home with his girlfriend. He poured gasoline on the front porch and set the home on fire, intending to kill the man, Adams’ office said.

Clum fled the scene and returned later that day to take pictures of the destruction.

"Through his willful actions, the defendant put the lives of the occupants of the home, responding firefighters and the public at risk," said Fire Chief Allan Graves. "This sentence reflects the seriousness of his actions and reflects the continued high level of cooperation between the fire department arson investigators and the State's Attorney's Office."

The charges Clum pleaded guilty to are:

• 4 counts of attempted first-degree murder
• 4 counts of attempted second-degree murder
• 2 counts of first-degree arson
• 1 count of second-degree arson
• 4 counts of first-degree assault
• 4 counts of second-degree assault
• 4 counts of reckless endangerment
• 1 count of malicious burning
• 1 count of malicious destruction of property

Clum has previous criminal convictions including theft, drug charges, and malicious destruction of property.

A protective order was filed against Clum stemming from a domestic violence incident about a month after the fire where he threatened to kill his girlfriend and burn down her family’s home.

Following his arrest, police say that Clum threatened a key witness in an attempt to prevent her from talking to authorities and told witnesses that his “intent was to kill” his victim by setting fire to the victim’s family’s house.

»Photo of Justin Clum of Pasadena, from Anne Arundel County Fire Department