Sentence Announced for Man Who Set Fire at Academy Sports in Springfield

A man accused of setting a fire at Academy Sports in Springfield will spend several years in prison.

On Thursday, a judge handed down a three year sentence for Robert Ruffner after he entered into a guilty plea.

He had a previous criminal history of theft, as he served a nine-year sentence for robbery.

According to investigators, Ruffner set a clothes rack on fire in order to “create a diversion” so he could shoplift items from the sporting goods store.

He later admitted to setting the fire on purpose, after initially saying he was trying to light a cigarette.