photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Abie Schnacke

A Lawrence woman received two years of probation on Friday for setting multiple fires at Lawrence businesses that caused over $1 million in damage to one of the businesses.

Abie Schnacke, 19, was originally charged in Douglas County District Court with one felony count of aggravated arson in connection with an incident on Nov. 13, 2022, at 3111 W. Sixth St., which is the address of Lawrence Family Vision Clinic, and four additional counts of arson in connection with fires set the night of Nov. 16, 2022.

The back of Lunar Graphix at 725 N. Second St. after the November 2022 fire. The fire spread into the building and caused substantial damage.

Schnacke pleaded no contest to two felony counts of arson in May, and the additional three counts were dismissed by the state, as the Journal-World reported.

Schnacke’s sentencing date was pushed back multiple times to give her the chance to get a mental health evaluation and to enroll in a treatment program.

On Wednesday, Judge Sally Pokorny sentenced Schnacke to 12 months in prison on each count of arson, with those sentences to run concurrently. Schnacke was awarded 329 days, or about 11 months, of time served toward that sentence, as she had been in custody since her arrest in November. Pokorny then suspended Schnacke’s prison sentence to two years of probation, in accordance with Kansas sentencing guidelines.

Schnacke has no prior criminal history that affected her sentence, and the sentencing guidelines instruct the court to order defendants to probation for low-level felonies if they do not have significant criminal history.

Schnacke was not required to pay any restitution to the businesses and property owners who suffered damage; the DA’s office did not seek any in the plea agreement.

Restitution is money that can be awarded in a criminal case when the victim has suffered a verifiable financial loss, and according to the U.S. Department of Justice, although some defendants are not in a position to repay and “may be unlikely to ever make meaningful restitution to the victim of a crime,” a court can order restitution to be paid through community service.

The Journal-World has reached out to the District Attorney’s Office for comment on why restitution was not sought in the plea agreement and whether community service was an option in the case. The office did not immediately respond to the inquiry. Early in the case, the court declared Schnacke indigent.

In addition to the probation requirement, Pokorny ordered Schnacke to follow any recommendations for treatment she receives as a result of her mental health evaluation

As the Journal-World reported, Schnacke was arrested in the incident at the vision clinic on Nov. 13, 2022, and was released on a $15,000 own-recognizance bond, meaning she was not required to pay any money to be released from jail but could have been charged that amount if she failed to appear in court.

Then, on Nov. 17, she was booked into jail in connection with multiple fires set the night of Nov. 16 at North Lawrence businesses. Those fires began at a liquor store at 1010 N. Third St. and progressed southward to a printing business and a restaurant.

The fire at the printing business, Lunar Graphix, 725 N. Second St., was set in a recycling container near the rear door and spread into the business. The resulting damage to the business was in excess of $1 million, according to the arrest affidavit in that case.

Two more dumpster fires were set that night at 100 N. Riverfront Road, an area to the rear of the former Allstars nightclub, and at 401 N. Second St., the address of Johnny’s Tavern.

Police located Schnacke behind Johnny’s, in the area where the city-run camp for people experiencing homelessness is located. Schnacke, who officials said was not a resident or guest of the camp, reportedly ran into an outdoor toilet at the site to avoid police. An officer followed, forced the door open, found Schnacke and recovered “handheld portable flame devices,” the affidavit said.