Joshua Popp Sentenced

Joshua Popp was sentenced today for his role in the Patrick Cudahy plant fire that began July 5, 2009.

The fire burned for days and caused more than $50 million in damage to the plant.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Former Marine Joshua J. Popp will spend the next three Fourth of July holidays in jail.

Popp, 23, of Twentynine Palms, Calif., was sentenced Thursday to serve three years of probation for giving his 25-year-old brother the military flare that his brother launched from his Cudahy home and which struck the Patrick Cudahy meat plant on July 5.

As a condition of Popp's probation, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Dennis R. Cimpl ordered him to spend the next three months of July in jail and to serve 500 hours of community service.

The fire burned for three days, forced the evacuation of hundreds of Cudahy residents, caused more than $50 million in damage and temporarily idled most of the plant's 1,800 employees.

Considering Popp was convicted of a felony and he could have received a 10-year prison sentence, I think he should be thrilled with his punishment.

Putting Popp in jail the month of July for the next three years seems like a child's "time-out." No Fourth of July fun for you!

I disagree with Popp's lawyer, Steven C. McGaver. He argued that Popp poses no threat and "being in jail for a day, a month, a year will have no benefit to the community."

Apparently, McGaver isn't familiar with the notion of deterrence.

It would have been a travesty for Popp to get off with no jail time at all.

A "time-out" is definitely in order for what he did.