Dorchester County man sentenced for March 2016 arson

A Dorchester County man was sentenced Monday on charges stemming from a March 2016 arson of a shed in Madison.

Christopher Henry Whittle, 58, of Madison, will face just under five years behind bars, being sentenced to 20 years with all but five years suspended and receiving credit for the 69 days he has already served, officials said. He is also required to serve five years of supervised probation along with a drug, alcohol and mental health treatment program.

The Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal said the arson happened in March 2016 when Whittle intentionally set fire to a 12' by 12' wood-framed shed in the 1100 block of Taylors Island Road. No one was injured in the fire, officials said.

Whittle had been charged with second degree arson, second degree malicious burning and malicious destruction of property.