‘No contest’ pleaded

By GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer

HOUGHTON - The suspect in an arson at a new apartment building on College Avenue pleaded no contest to two counts in Houghton County Circuit Court Wednesday.

Police say Jesse Higgins, 20, broke into the building on April 23, started a structure fire and cut a gas line.

"Had that ignited, the whole building would be gone," said Houghton County Prosecutor Michael Makinen.

Makinen said the no-contest plea was due to the "extreme amount" of alcohol Higgins drank that night, as well as potential civil liability.

A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but is treated as such for the purposes of sentencing.

Higgins is charged with attempted arson and attempted malicious destruction of a building - $20,000 or more, both five-year felonies.

A 10-year breaking and entering with intent charge was dismissed in a plea agreement.

While Judge Charles Goodman was asking about a factual basis for the value of the damage, a man in the gallery tried to get his attention. Goodman initially ignored him until Makinen assured him it was the building's owner, Jonathon Julien.

Julien said the building was appraised at $2.5 million; the project had included $1 million of his own money.

Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese @mininggazette.com.