ASHEVILLE, NC (828newsNOW) — A man has pleaded guilty to an arson-related charge in connection with a fire that damaged a storage room and adjacent business on Jan. 11, 2023, at Asheville Outlets on Brevard Road, according to a release from the Buncombe County District Attorney’s office.
Gregory Seth Silver, 39, of Asheville, on Monday pleaded guilty to a charge of Burning an Occupied Commercial Structure. Visiting Superior Court Judge Karen Eady-Williams of Mecklenburg County sentenced him to serve an active prison term of 44 to 65 months and ordered to pay $11,825.49 in restitution, the release states.
The charge stemmed from a late-night incident on Jan. 11, 2023. According to published reports at the time, the fire started in a storage unit shared by the outlet mall and two stores, triggering a sprinkler system activation.
The Blue Banner, UNC-Asheville’s student newspaper, quoted an Asheville Fire Department tweet at the time saying, “A SINGLE sprinkler head kept the fire in check and from spreading until the fire department arrived. A great example of how fire sprinklers save property and lives!”
There were no injuries reported, but Items within the storage room and an adjacent business were damaged. A Clark’s Outlet store was temporarily closed in the aftermath, the newspaper reported.
In a release, District Attorney Todd Williams praised the “constructive collaboration” between Asheville police and fire investigators on the case.
“Every arson investigation poses unique challenges, but the professional teamwork and expertise brought to bear in this case was critical in securing Silver’s conviction as charged,” Williams stated.